Crimson Moon
by mossywind
Summary: Vidia, a Nord whom is cursed with the Beast Blood, pleads to Hircine for help. Will he help or hinder her? Hircine/OFC
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Dear Readers, this is my first try at making a Daedric Storyline. I saw the lack of Hircine/OC stories, and I found that the pairing had a lot of potential. Prepare for language, mature themes, and violence. I will also warn you that this first chapter is quite fast-paced, though I will make it an effort for following chapters to not be as fast-paced. It would please me so, to hear your thoughts on this story. Enjoy._

_(xxx)_

Vidia was just a simple Nord, with a simple life, living as a huntress. It had been three years since she discovered she was the Dovahkiin, and had defeated Alduin. She decided that living a peaceful life, instead of an action-filled one, looked like the good way to go.

The peaceful life, living within the woods, and the touch of the chilling Nordic wind only her homeland could offer had its advantages. The animals never complained, unlike all of the other people in her life. The trees never mindlessly chattered, unlike the people of the civilized cities. Not that Vidia was uncivilized.. Just a little on the wild side. Wolves entered her domain freely. After all, they were the only beings she could confide in. The only other creatures that understood the bloodlust of the hunt.

The blood of the beast ran freely through Vidia's veins. This was the only thing she could not escape within the forest. True, she enjoyed it as much as her Shield-Sister, Aela the Huntress, but it had both its advantages and disadvantages. She had killed many people in her short life of being a creature of the night, and her hands were stained with the blood of her prey.

This night, her former housecarl, Lydia, was to visit her in her rather large lodge. Vidia was excited to say the least, since she had not seen her noble protector for many months. She would admit, though, this was the worst chosen time to visit. The blood of the bear she had killed last night still lingered in the air, which drove Vidia's bloodlust into overdrive, but she could not lose control while in the company of Lydia, she refused to ever lose control.

A knock on the wooden door interrupted Vidia's thoughts, and she arose from her parlor, and opened the door. Lydia's face lightened up when she saw the Dragonborn, the woman she had vowed to protect and serve unto death.

The petite redhead smiled, and gestured for the tall, dark-haired woman to enter her home. Lydia observed the lodge, taking particular interest in the hearth that currently had a stew boiling over it. Lydia was accustomed to cooking for her Thane, not having food cooked for her, so this made her feel very special. But.. what was that smell?

"What is that foul.. odor?" The housecarl asked her Thane.

"I killed a bear yesterday, skinned it, and I practically filled the house with candles to keep the scent away, except nothing works. I'm afraid you'll have to wait it out. It usually goes away within a few days." She answered. It _was _the truth, after all.

Lydia reached to embrace her Thane, and squeezed hard, a little too hard. But Vidia enjoyed it nonetheless. But when Lydia's upper lip curled up, Vidia almost panicked. She never let herself go without bathing after a hunt! How could she be so stupid? Well, she did have little company out here, and she did miss everyone. So, that resulted in her utter excitement when Lydia asked if she could visit. She forgot to bathe, that was the only problem.

"You smell like.. wet dog? My Thane, you never smell like that. I could fill up a bath for you, you know that, right?" She offered.

"No, no. I'm sorry I haven't.. bathed lately. Besides, you're only my housecarl when I'm in Whiterun. No need for formalities, Lydia. Call me Vidia." The redhead explained. Lydia had always been an airhead, so it wasn't as if Vidia had to give a detailed explanation for everything.

(_xxx)_

After hours of chatting and catching up with each other, Lydia and Vidia decided to stroll outside. Since Lydia had only been here once, she did not know her way around. Vidia knew it was risky being around a.. human, in the night hours, in the forest. There were other packs around, hostile packs. She prayed to Lord Hircine that they would not appear on this evening. There wasn't even a moon out tonight, so they shouldn't.

"I have always thought it was beautiful out here, but why pick a secluded location out in the Falkreath Hold?" Lydia asked.

"I have already told you I desire privacy, Lydia. I would rather live in seclusion nowadays." The redhead answered.

Lydia had missed her Thane very much. Even as she looked into her fierce gray eyes, the eyes of the Dragonborn, she could sense that there was a change in the Dragonborn's behavior. Living in seclusion had changed the young Dovah. The housecarl did not know if this was for better or worse.

"The Companions miss you. Farkas, especially." Lydia informed her Thane.

"And, how do you know that?" Vidia questioned her Housecarl.

"Whenever I visit, you're all he talks about. Aela told me to tell you that a visit is due, else you'll grow.. feral, she said. I have no idea what she meant by that, though. But I one-hundred percent agree with Aela that you should come up to the city more often. It must be terribly boring, living out here." Vidia wanted to smirk, but refrained from doing so. She knew what Aela meant by feral. If she stayed away from civilization for too long, she would eventually embrace Sheogorath, and grow into a maddening state.

"No, actually it isn't. Plenty of game, really. Nobody asks me to do their favors anymore, either. This is really all I need. I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner." Vidia said casually. She was never one for losing patience, nor was she one for losing her temper, which was an advantage, especially for one carrying the Beast Blood.

No, Vidia was the quiet, easy-tempered type. She was always caught up in her own dreams, rather than living them. She would admit that her estate in the middle of nowhere wasn't what she dreamed for when she had become the Dragonborn, and had become one of the wealthiest, most influential people in Tamriel. She had wanted to stay in Whiterun, or perhaps Solitude, in a large city. That was until she accepted the Beast Blood a little over a year ago. Then, all she wanted was to hunt, and fight. The blood of her prey was the only perfume she needed now.

"By the way, when you return, tell them to visit sometime. They do know where to find me, after all." Vidia said. It was as if every message she sent to the Companions that carried the Beast Blood had to be cryptic, to prevent being persecuted for being a creature of the night.

"Will do, my Thane." Lydia answered.

Around midnight, Vidia could hear the call of the blood. She didn't want to answer it, but she knew she had to. She gazed at the sleeping form of Lydia on her loveseat, and knew that Lydia would not be waking up anytime soon. Besides, the footsteps of a well-experienced huntress could never be heard by anyone but the huntress. Grabbing both of her swords, she slipped off her leggings, her tunic, and her shoes, so that they would not be destroyed by her transformation.

When Vidia was bare, she slipped out of her lodge, and sprinted towards the treeline. Finally, when she was about a half-mile from her lodge, she felt the beast taking over her body. The pain of the transformation, she had grown accustomed to. Fur enveloped her body, strong, hard muscles replaced the pale, silky, human skin, and a snout formed, replacing her tiny human nose.

"_But she must be nearby. I could recognize her scent from miles away._" Vidia heard the thoughts of nearby werewolves.

"_Stay off of my land, Viktor. We shall not play this game, tonight._" Vidia communicated through her thoughts to Viktor, a pack leader that resided nearby. Those who shared the Beast Blood could communicate from miles through howling, scent, and thoughts. And the nearest pack was Viktor's, four miles away, and his thoughts were never pleasant, merely repulsive.

"_Oh, Vidia. Why must you always be so serious? Can you not join our hunt tonight? Perhaps you could one day become our prey. If I were you, I would refrain from ordering me. Every werewolf for their own, out here. We're coming, and you shall not stop us this time._" In that moment, Vidia panicked. Lydia was at her lodge! Viktor was arrogant, and extremely bold, but he never came on her land!

"_I'm warning you, Viktor. You come on my land, and I will feed you your fucking heart._" That silenced Viktor, but did not stop him from the beeline he was making toward Vidia's territory.

When Vidia sensed that Viktor was with other pack members, she raced towards the pack. They were not welcome here. How dare those bastards! They were now nearby, only a mile away. Beast Form gave not only strength and heightened senses, but enhanced speed as well. In a matter of minutes, she found herself racing after her lodge, instead of the hostile werewolf pack. She had to protect Lydia!

"My Thane! Vidia!" Vidia could hear Lydia calling, but did not have time to revert back to her human form, until Lydia saw her.

Lydia's eyes widened, and she screamed so loud, that Vidia was sure if Aela listened in, even when she was at least 15 miles away, she could hear it. Next thing Vidia knew, Lydia was charging in, releasing a battle cry, as all noble Nordic warriors would do.

Vidia sprinted as fast as she could in her Beast Form to the nearest tree, and hid behind it, reverting back to her human form. This was not how tonight was supposed to end! Vidia was supposed to hunt for at the most, thirty minutes, and return home!

When Vidia had reverted back to her petite, human form, she revealed herself from her refuge behind the tree. Lydia once again saw her Thane, and gasped. She pointed a finger at Vidia, then a disappointed scowl came over her face.

"Why didn't you tell me!" Lydia screamed at her Thane, but continued, "You're a werewolf! A follower of Hircine! You've been nothing but a dog, a mutt, this whole time!"

"I was trying to protect you, Lydia! There were other packs nearby, and I couldn't bear the thought of you being attacked! Please, believe me!" Vidia pleaded, but Lydia was a true Nord to the end, and would not allow such dangers to freely roam the land of Skyrim, where her family lived!

"The Dragonborn, wow. You're not a true Nord! You're a dog! A beast! A _monster_! And you'll pay with your blood for it!" In Lydia's eyes were a mixture of betrayal, hurt, and anguish. "You've been living under false pretenses this entire time! Right under everyone's noses!"

Lydia, Vidia's former best friend, and the greatest companion she ever had, charged at her with her _silver _sword. Silver! When Vidia equipped her swords once again, she realized she was bare, without any clothing, from top to bottom. Vidia was more experienced than her housecarl, however, and hooked her foot with Lydia's ankle, bringing both of them down. Vidia angled one of her sharp, ebony swords at Lydia's throat.

"I can either end your life, or you can surrender. Either way, I win. I love you, Lydia. You're my best friend. It is not right for you to judge me for carrying the Beast Blood. I'm giving you a choice, though." Vidia told the dark-haired woman.

"I will never surrender. I can not allow a werewolf to pass my sight freely." _A stubborn, honorable Nord to the end. _Vidia sincerely hoped that Lydia would change her mind, but Lydia was the most stubborn Nord she had ever met, save Vilkas.

"You leave me with no choice, then!" Vidia yelled, sending her blade into Lydia's soft throat. Silencing the woman forever. Blood, delicious blood, spilled out of the wound on Lydia's throat, and onto Vidia's blade. Tears clouded Vidia's vision, but she would not dare let them fall. No, this was her fault, this was the beast's fault! Hircine's fault.

"Curse you, Hircine!" She realized that if the Beast Blood did not flow through her veins, she would not have gotten into this mess, and her best friend, her housecarl, would not be lying dead, with crimson blood protruding from her mortal wound, the wound that had silenced her forever. She should've listened to Kodlak, should've cured the wickedness that now tainted her soul along with his spirit in Ysgramor's Tomb. But now, it was impossible, for the Witches of Glenmoril were now extinct, and there was not anyway to fetch their heads.

She prayed that there was a way that Hircine could hear her pleads, and take pity on the woman kneeling over the body of her best friend. Suddenly, Viktor, and the other members of his pack appeared in the treeline near her lodge.

His long, disheveled, dark hair was wet, meaning he had crossed a lake to get to her lodge. The mere sight of him in human form almost set Vidia into a frenzy. Though she felt more violated than anything. After all, she was naked, standing in front of her house. The other pack members crossed over the lawn with their leader, to Vidia.

"Stay away." Vidia warned. Viktor and his fellow pack members were not phased by Vidia's nakedness, as most men would, but they were used to it after transformations as well.

"You have cursed our Lord, and will pay for it. Lord Hircine gave us this gift, and you forsake his name!" A pack member, Bjorn, yelled.

"How will I pay for it? Won't you listen to me? This is a gift to me no longer!" She yelled back.

Next thing Vidia knew, she was embraced by darkness. There was nothing, but she knew she was no longer in the realm of Nirn.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: It would be appreciated if you left your thoughts on this chapter. It both means very much to me, and helps me improve as a writer. Enjoy._

Vidia slowly opened her eyes, and looked at her surroundings. Her eyes went wide when she realized she was no longer in the forests of Skyrim. Beneath her lay a shallow pond, her long, and wet, red hair flowing around her. A confused expression came upon her face just then, and when she looked up at the sky, and saw the color of the moon, she knew exactly where she was.

"The Hunting Grounds." She muttered to herself.

How could she have randomly appeared in the Hunting Grounds? Did she die? Has she pissed the Lord of the Hunt off? Well, there was only one person she could ask, and that was the Lord, himself. Gray eyes searched the treeline of the forest, and shakily, she got to her feet.

Game was everywhere. In the first hour of walking, alone, she spotted at least over a hundred Whitetail Deer. Turkeys grazed golden fields, and the moon was crimson as ever. It seemed as if the sky was eternally dark, and that nighttime was daytime as well. Still, she had to admit it was the most beautiful place she had ever seen. But how much longer until she reached civilization in Hircine's Realm? Could it really be as silent as it seemed?

But would she ever see Vilkas or Farkas? She sure as hell would never see Lydia ever again. The thought of never being able to see anyone again came to mind. Was she dead? It didn't seem so, for both her body and soul was there. She knew if she waited a very long time, she would once again see her Shield-Sister, Aela. Even now, she missed her and everyone in Tamriel.

"Hircine!" She yelled with all she could. She could no longer run the forests, even with the enhanced Fatigue and Speed of someone who carried the Beast Blood, and she was tiring already.

A loud horn interrupted her thoughts, and she could hear growls, howls, and yelling. She knew that the Horn that Hircine sounded was a bad sign for anyone visiting the Hunting Grounds, but she knew that he had heard her announce his name. He was coming for her, but she wasn't scared. If her fate was to survive and run in the Hunting Grounds for the rest of eternity, she'd rather die, even if it was by Hircine and his hounds.

The howls were closer now, and her head whipped in the direction in which they were coming from. They were loud, and faster than most werewolves she had seen, they did nothing to hide their approach. When they came into view, they were following an extremely tall man, whom was in a chariot being pulled by black wolves. In his hand was the tallest, sharpest spear she had ever seen. His face was concealed by a deer skull, yet she knew that it was not his actual skull.

This was Hircine, Daedric Lord of the Hunt, the sport of Daedra, and the chase and sacrifice of mortals. She gulped, but it was not noticeable. She was scared now, yet she lifted her chin even higher, because she knew from experience that the Lord of the Hunt did not appreciate submission and fear from his children. But was she still one of his "children"?

"Hircine." She whispered under her breath, though she was sure that with his acute hearing, he heard it.

"Well met, hunter. You have chosen an inopportune time to come to the Hunting Grounds, to curse my name. You desire a cure? An escape from the glorious life of the great huntress you are? I have heard your pleas, and I am not satisfied with them." He said, in his haunting and inhuman voice.

"Your _gift _drove me to killing my best friend! Yes, I wanted an escape! Why have you brought me here, Hircine?" She asked.

"Could I let another Daedric Prince claim your soul? The soul of the Dragonborn? Your soul is precious to me, and I will not let it fall into the grasp of one of my siblings. You are mine for the taking." He explained. So the Lord of the Hunt wanted to be possessive? Was he not the Daedric Prince whose sphere alone symbolized freedom and liberty?

"So you're like all Daedric Princes then? So you're like your arch-rival, Clavicus Vile, then? Or like Molag Bal, whose children are bloodsuckers and rivals of your children? You are just like them." Vidia taunted him.

She had really outdone herself there. With her remark, Hircine stepped out of his chariot, and took long strides over to her. Gods, he was the tallest man, or _being, _she had ever seen! She barely reached his lower chest, and she was extremely intimidated, but she tried as best she could to hide it.

"Do not compare me with Vile or Bal, else you will pay. Since I am a forgiving Prince, I will forgive your tantalizing remark. If you would come with me, I will spare your life, mortal, but just this once, for I always give mercy on my prey." He shot back at her.

"I will come with you. But don't think I'll play obedient servant with you. You're no longer my lord and I will never transform again. Know that, and believe that, Hircine."

(_xxx)_

When He returned his prize, the Dragonborn, to his palace, he took his former place on his throne. Behind him was a massive set of elk antlers, decorating his throne. His young Dovah had been locked in his personal quarters within the palace, so that he could have a more private conversation with her later, so that none of his children could listen in on what he had to say to the troublemaker.

Even without acute hearing, his assistants and children could hear Vidia trying to escape the locked room, and her loud curses and protests. Hircine had many enemies, and this only fed his hunger for prey and the hunt. On either side of him, were his advisers. Why a Daedric Prince would need advisers was a question frequented by many of Hircine's children, but it was obvious that he enjoyed the company of his fellow hunters. After all, they were the ones who had told him that Vidia had neglected his lordship.

Besides, if Sheogorath could have Haskill, and Clavicus Vile have Barbas, why couldn't Hircine have Denneth and Brynioth? His advisers hated each other, however. Their petty squabbles and arguments amused Hircine to no end, though, so he allowed them. Even now, they were giving each other a disdainful glare and were getting ready to argue about the appearance of the Dovahkiin in the Hunting Grounds.

"My Lord, shall I advise you on something?" Denneth asked of his lord.

"But of course, child. Continue." Hircine was hotheaded and distrustful, yet was very passive to his advisers, for he felt that they were not only worthy of his trust, but were worthy of freedom of speech as well.

"I believe that you should not trust this.. Dovahkiin. She will try to escape at any given chance. If I shall express my mind, my Lord, it would be more beneficial to end her life." Ouch, now that was something Hircine could not do. Of course, her soul belonged to him, now, and he could do whatever he wanted with it, but her death was not what he wanted. For once, the advice of Denneth was not needed, and was unwelcome.

"My Lord, if I may." Hircine nodded, and Brynioth continued, "Vidia is the Dragonborn, a valuable soul for our lord. I do not believe she would willingly stray from our lord, now. She is locked in this palace, and will not be going anywhere soon. So, you should shut your mouth, you stupid son of a bitch." Brynioth scolded.

"Stop talking about me, and you're both stupid sons of bitches." Suddenly Vidia appeared in their vision. How could she have escaped from the room Hircine had locked her in? Hmm.. he supposed every hunter had guile, but he was almost sure that this one was full of it. Such was a good quality for a hunter, but it did not stop Hircine's fury at her escape. No one escapes Hircine!

"Mortal, I would ask for you to join me. We shall talk." Hircine announced, waving his advisers away, so that he could talk to Vidia privately.

"What do you want?" She asked. She could almost hear Hircine rolling his eyes under his helmet, but all she could see was the empty voids where his eyes would be.

"No, I believe the correct question is.. What do you want, Vidia? I have heard your pleas, but I am not ready to answer them until you have explained your _problems._" He told her.

"Your 'gift' forced me to kill my best friend! But I don't see why I even asked a simple favor of you, because all you really care about is your power and influence on Tamriel. You don't even think about the effect your 'gift' has on your children! You're selfish, you're a bastard, and you can't tell me what to do from now on!" Hircine couldn't believe his eyes! How dare this wench have the audacity to speak out against the Daedric Lord of the Hunt! He could kill her with a wave of his hand, but he was intrigued. She had so much fire, she could've burned the entire palace down?

She even had more fire than Vilkas, he thought. He could see now.. why she was having problems. He could easily see that she had less control than she previously had. She was angry at him, and she was a mystery.. Her audacity be damned.. Hircine liked a challenge, and had been known to take them up whenever given the chance. He smirked from under his helmet when he saw her cross her arms in impatience.

From her already short time in the Hunting Grounds, she had learned quite a few things. One of the things she learned, was that Hircine looked nothing like how mortals and shrines depicted him. Sure, he had a wide expanse of hardened muscle unlike any mortal in Tamriel that she had never seen, but what lie beneath his mask was not an actual animal, but a face that Hircine had shown only to a select few. His siblings being the most of them, like Nocturnal, and Boethiah. Other princes, such as Molag Bal, and Clavicus Vile, his rivals, would openly ridicule him for taking the form of a mortal, even when in Daedric form. But Vidia knew that she must not anger Hircine to the point of _him _losing control, for he was one of the most powerful and influential Daedric Princes.

"I would see to it that you learn to control your gift then. Very well. You shall not return to Nirn until I give you my blessing to. Do not defy me, or you will regret it. I will hunt you down across every plain, forest, and mountain range if I must. Now go, I have a room ready for you, Brynioth will show you to it." With a wave of his hand, one of Hircine's Chamberlains came into view.

Hircine stared after the fiery-haired Dovahkiin as she exited the Main Hall of his palace. She fixed him with one last glare as she left, and that left the Daedric Lord amused greatly. Mortals never failed to amuse him with their antics. He didn't know why Vidia would show him disrespect, for was she not the one who lost control? It was not Hircine's fault, and he sent her away because he did not want to lose his patience.

Nonetheless, he considered himself a benevolent and passive, yet powerful, Daedric Prince, compared to his siblings who reveled in the death of mortals. Hircine loved the hunt, and the chase, because that was his nature, and his sphere, but he did not revel in dishonorable murder.

The chamber that Hircine had given her was spacious, yet bare and bland, with naught but a large bed, and a table with one chair. No books, no food, nothing? Was this her true punishment? She was glad at least his Chamberlain, Brynioth, had lingered. He was amusing company, and she often found herself rolling her eyes at all of his remarks.

The man had short, cropped, light brown hair, and was very tall. And she was glad he was not hoity toity like most people in higher positions. Perhaps that was a common trait amongst servants of Hircine, because she had never met a snobby were-creature before. His eyes shone silver like every other child of Hircine, however. So, everyone in the Hunting Grounds shared the same eyes? From what she had seen, every werewolf in Tamriel always shared their progenitor's eyes. So perhaps Brynioth's eyes shone fiercely because he was given lycanthropy by Hircine himself?

"Is there anyway I can leave? I don't see how I defied Hircine.." Vidia started.

"I apologize, child, but there is not. I'm afraid you must reside here until Hircine tells you that you may go. And, in all honesty, you defied his word. Our lord is gracious enough to give you a second chance, so you should revel in it." Brynioth replied.

"How long will it be? How long shall I stay here?" She asked.

"It is indefinite." He answered.

"Be on your way, then. I want to be alone." She told him, and he left her in her barren wasteland of a room.

_Well, that was extremely helpful, _She thought to herself sarcastically. When could she see her Shield-Brothers and Sisters again? She missed Aela and Farkas, already. She even missed Vilkas, and his cantankerousness and sarcasm. But she missed Lydia over all of them, the very woman she killed to keep her secret of being a werewolf from being spread. It was dishonorable, and she knew that she was unworthy of being the "honorable" Dragonborn. She had destroyed Alduin, the Dark Brotherhood, and had won Skyrim over for the Empire, and defeated Ulfric Stormcloak. Yet this was something different, how could she get herself out of this mess?

There was only one answer, and that was to submit to the Lord of the Hunt, and acknowledge that she would forever be a bearer of the Beast Blood, and would never find the cure. But she didn't want to submit to Hircine, her now sworn enemy.

She couldn't openly fight him, though, that would be her inevitable fate, but she could inwardly fight his influence, and curse him into the lower planes of Oblivion. How she wished she would've cured herself when she was in Ysgramor's Tomb, how she wished she would've listened to Kodlak, instead of Aela and Skjor. No matter what most people thought of Hircine, a relatively passive Daedra, she hated him, and thought he was the most evil of all of his siblings. Did he not know that every time one of his children transformed, it forced them into becoming savages?

People wish to become creatures of the night, all the time, be it werewolf or vampire, but they didn't know the after effects of being one. They thought only of the gifts and advantages, but never the malevolent effects it had on the soul.

She opened the one window she had in her room, and was met by the brightness of the.. sun? She didn't know the sun shone in the Hunting Grounds, she thought it was always dark, and only illuminated by the red Hunting Moon. Maybe Hircine liked to pretend His kingdom was a paradise, and was a haven for his kind. She had to admit, it was the most beautiful place she had ever seen, and much more beautiful than any other Daedric Realm she had accidentally visited. She'd never admit, though, that it was truly a privilege to walk the Hunting Grounds while she was still alive. It was rare for Hircine to offer such a privilege to a.. "visitor".

_(xxx)_

Vidia had fallen into a short, and bitter sleep, as she usually did, and woke up only an hour later. This was the sleep she was accustomed to, ever since she had assumed the form of the wolf. The sleep was something she had grown fond of, but the temper and violent tendencies were something totally different. She guessed that there was at least one advantage of being cursed with the Beast Blood, and it was the fact that she hardly needed sleep. But it was good to finally sleep, even if it was short.

She rubbed the sleepiness from her eyes, and got out of her bed, and realized where she was. She exhaled a long, slow breath, and refrained a sob. She was in a place where she had no friends, no family, nothing. Of course, Skjor was probably roaming the Hunting Grounds, somewhere, but she didn't have the ability to look for him.

So, Hircine wanted to play possessive, and deal-making Daedra, now? It was a shame, because it was just two days ago, that she respected and revered the Lord of the Hunt. She knew Aela would probably shun her if she shunned Hircine, for Aela would have the utmost respect for him, no matter what. Perhaps that is why Hircine allowed her to master the Beast Blood. If only Vidia had been so lucky.

She opened the door, and was surprised she did not smell the scent of death and decay. The place she was in was huge, yet easy enough to navigate, considering its size. It was extremely open, and everything was either brown, gray, or crimson. So, Hircine liked his palace open and untainted from the scent of death? He was unlike a lot of Daedric princes, she thought. At least she hadn't attracted the attention of a different Daedra, such as Molag Bal or Mehrunes Dagon, because that would be complete Hell. But.. she was in Hell already.. Literally.

"Vidia." Her name startled her when she heard it come from the one called Denneth's lips. When she didn't answer, he continued. "Our Lord wishes for you to dine in His hall. I will show you to him now, if you wish."

"What have I got to lose.." She muttered to herself as she followed him.

"I hope this doesn't change your view of Our lord. He is actually a very gracious Prince, really. Just imagine what Dagon or Bal would have you doing if you were in there realm." He said. It's as if he could read her mind, then again, he probably could.

As she followed him, she noticed he was nothing like the other man who had shown her to her room earlier, he was the exact opposite. His hair was a light blonde, yet cropped also, and was shorter than Brynioth.

"Why does he wish for me to dine with him?" She asked. She might as well make conversation, it wasn't as if she was getting out anytime soon.

"Do you not wish to eat? You must answer to our lord's summons. Unless you wish to hunt for your food every time you are hungry, I would gladly show you to the forest." She rolled her eyes at his slightly suggestive comment, but continued to follow him, until they reached a large hall, with a long, wooden table in the middle of it.

At the front of the table, sat the Lord himself. She glared his way. And from under his mask, he was smirking at her arrival. Oh, how he admired her fire and awkwardness. She truly was odd, unlike any person he had met. Then again, everyone was unique. She sat as far away from him as possible, taking a seat at the other end of the table, on the opposite side. This alone made his smirk grow even more. This dinner was going to be.. perfect.

While other men sat at the table feasting, she did not even touch her plate, instead, she would rather starve than eat something that was made in the name of Hircine. Ugh, she hated him.. He was cunning, and she was sure all of the women, if there were any in the Hunting Grounds, swooned over him, if they saw his face at all.

Everyone drank their wine, while conversing loudly. Hircine and Vidia just stared, glaring at each other from different sides of the table. Observers, if there were any, would probably laugh at their behavior. But she couldn't help it that she absolutely despised him, though she brought this on herself. If only she hadn't defied him, she'd still be in Tamriel, at her lodge in the woods. She missed her little hideout, her haven.

"So.. Dovahkiin, are you enjoying The Hunting Grounds?" A man sitting at the long table asked her. Silence crept up all around the table as they waited for her response, all eyes on her.

"Undoubtedly." She answered sarcastically. Everyone around her laughed, but continued feasting and drinking their red wine. Hircine, however, kept his eyes on her.


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Thanks to those of you who have taken the time to review. I have to warn you if you're not into slow-paced romances, because this one is definitely going to be snail-paced. He's a Daedric Prince, so it will have to take time to earn his trust. Plus, they hate each other right now. Oh, and a reference to temperature is used later in the chapter, and it is Celsius, not Fahrenheit. __Let's get back to the story, shall we?_

For the first time in her life, she was utterly trapped, and there was no one to save her. She expected different from Hircine, the Daedric Prince she had once respected and feared. Now, he was her enemy, and she hated him with a passion. On the contrary, he found her amusing, and had the utmost patience when it came to her submitting. She would, when she figured out she had nowhere else to go. Best part of being a Daedric Prince is when the mortals know they're being manipulated, he thought.

She hadn't eaten in over five days, now; it seemed like everything was a routine. In the daytime, company within the palace was plenty. In the nighttime, however, the company was scarce, and she could hear Hircine's hounds hunting the fields, and the coniferous forests. She could barely hide the desire to hunt again, yet Hircine could sense it. The desire to hunt was too strong for anyone to resist when they were in the Hunting Grounds.

The seasons changed here, she observed, and it seemed like the season they were currently in, was Summer. It was terribly hot, and she forced herself to sleep without a blanket. Since her window was so small, it hardly let any air in. The only thing she could do was daydream, and think about what she could be doing if she were at home. Of course, those thoughts were always so bland, as she probably wouldn't be doing much. Though her thoughts were always directed back to the same thing, to Lydia, her protector and Housecarl. How Vidia hoped she had made it to Sovngarde, the very place Vidia could never visit, now. She knew the price she had to pay when she accepted the Beast Blood, over a year ago, and that was the fact that someone with the Beast Blood would never visit Sovngarde in the afterlife.

The only thing remotely satisfying about her visit, was she never had to speak with Hircine. Maybe that was a symbol of his "good will". He really was an arrogant bastard, and all he desired was her soul. He wasn't going to let any other Daedra claim her soul, he had made that clear. But she had never planned on letting any other Daedra claim her soul.

She was never stubborn, or impatient, but it seemed like Hircine and his lackeys brought those two unwanted characteristics out of her. She wanted to get the hell out of the Hunting Grounds, soon. She had no one here. No one was "on her side". Plus, she had only seen a couple of women, and they were rude and unhelpful.

Suddenly, she had an idea. She stepped out of her room, and stomped all the way down the long, tall foyer. She stopped at the tall, oaken, double doors that she knew were the entrance to Hircine's personal quarters. She opened them, and charged into the luxurious chamber. Hircine sure knew how to decorate, she thought. The frame of his high bed was oak wood, as well, and the sheets were a deep crimson. She supposed a Daedric Prince needed luxury.

She could hear footsteps coming her way, and she knew who they belonged too. He was a broad, tall, man, or being, yet his movement was quiet, like the skilled Huntsman he was. Suddenly, he appeared in front of her, his arms crossed over his broad expanse of chest.

"What can I do for you?" She hated the false kindness that oozed from him. She knew it was forced, so that it would piss her off, but why not take the bait?

"If I asked you to let me roam, would you say yes, or would you say no?" She asked as kindly as she could. Yet her words were dripping with venom, this again did not fail to amuse Hircine, however. He wondered if any of his Daedric siblings would've been able to handle her ferociousness.

"Why did you not simply ask? This is the Hunting Grounds, Dragonborn." He answered calmly, as if he wasn't angry at her for barging into his room.

"Can you not let me go? Can I not go home yet? I do not desire to linger here for the rest of eternity. Your realm of Oblivion is a literal Hell." She complained. This only made the Lord of the Hunt more amused. Damn him, and his realm!

"I'm afraid I will not let you go until my judgement of you is decided. If you are trustworthy, I mean. I do not yet trust you, however. You are not eating, that is your own fault. You desire the hunt, yet you ignore the call of it, that is your own fault. You see, young Dovah, you have brought this on yourself. The fault is not mine, so do not charge me with the blame." Damn him, and his wisdom, she thought. He was absolutely right! She'd never admit it to everyone, save herself, though, because he was playing the role of selfish and unforgiving.

"Yet you keep me here, trapped, with nowhere to go. I'm the hunter, not the prey." She explained.

"Well, it seems the roles have changed then." He said smugly, which made her blood boil.

"Are you always such a coward? Hiding behind that mask, Hircine? I can see why people try to not defy you! They don't want to be stuck here, with you. Your very sphere symbolizes freedom! Why me?" She hated for him to hear her pleads, and distress, but she could no longer hide it.

"I've been known to make exceptions. Know that I enjoy the chase as much as I enjoy the prey. A challenge would merely draw me to you." He said.

"Isn't that philosophy for all hunters? Don't you know your children suffer daily from the Beast Blood that has tainted their veins? It is something you would never understand, because you're 'above' everyone." She told him.

"How dare you, woman? The form of the Beast is of my creation! I know the suffering of my beloved children, but it is a small burden you must all carry! It is a gift, and you should be proud to carry it along with you Dragon blood." He explained to her, but in her eyes, there was no way his story was justified.

"A small burden? I have suffered day and night! It is hard enough to walk the streets, and people telling me I have a wolfish grin, and smell like a wet hound! It's more than a small burden, that you don't have to bear, but we do! It's not a gift, it's a curse." She said.

All women were a mystery in his eyes, yet this one was a maze that he couldn't navigate through. And he thought he had her figured out. She was passionate about her beliefs, and fierce when it came to defending herself. It was a shame she could no longer embrace the Beast Blood as she used to. He had watched over her for a long time, before she had came to the Hunting Grounds. He wasn't going to tell her that, though.

He admired ferocity, and he hoped that her fire would never wane. He knew that eventually, it would, if he kept her locked in his palace long enough. All Prey submitted to the Hunter when they were cornered, yet he didn't know if Vidia was an exception, or not. He'd have to find out.

"Is it warm enough in here for you?" He taunted, slightly easing the tension between the two.

"More than enough, thank you. How hot is it, may I ask?" She questioned.

"35 degrees, currently. What, did you not expect the changing of the seasons in the Hunting Grounds?" He asked.

"Precisely. May I go outside of the palace?" She asked.

"If I hear that you're trying to escape, I will hunt you down, Vidia, don't forget that. My children know that you are not to be attacked, so you are safe here. Go ahead, carry on." He told her.

She supposed it was quite gracious of him to let her out of the palace. She headed back to her bare and empty room, that now had a wardrobe in it. She supposed that Hircine placed one in there for her because He knew it would be too hot for her to go outside with full leather armor on?

Taking off her armor, she replaced it with a mossy green undershirt, brown leather breeches, and brown, lace-up boots. She looked like a true adventurer now, with a satchel and everything! She kept her sword at her side, that she amazingly kept with her even when she was teleported to the Hunting Grounds. Eager to explore, she ran out of the palace, unaware of who was still watching her as she left.

It could just be in her nature to be eager to explore. She hated the Realm she was currently in, but why not enjoy something she could not escape? It was beautiful here, she wouldn't deny that, but the heat wave was a little exaggerated. Being from Skyrim, the heat was terribly harsh and unforgiving here. Especially because the temperature in Skyrim never came above around 25 degrees. The cold, she could deal with, but this heat was a different hurdle entirely!

The Sun was high in the sky, beating down on her head. She dashed over to the forest, the shade providing a haven for her. She was glad nobody was bothering her, but she missed the company of both her Shield-Brothers and Sisters, and Lydia. She waved the thought of Lydia away, because she knew it would only provide her sorrow, so she thought of her Shield-Siblings back at Jorrvaskr. Aela would probably be hunting right now, Farkas would probably be trying to arrange a visit to see the Dragonborn, and Vilkas was probably trying to stop him. Farkas had always been extremely fond of his new Harbinger, a little too fond, yet Vidia missed him terribly already.

She was surprised she hadn't seen Skjor yet in the Hunting Grounds. She was almost sure she would when she first came here, but now she was losing hope that she would ever see her former Shield-Sibling again.

Hints of sunlight shone through the pine trees, but most of the forest was shrouded in a thick, gray mist. No forest in Skyrim could've been so enchanting as this. She was surprised Hircine's Realm could compose of such beauty, considering he was an extremely strong and masculine deity.

Vidia collected the many plants on the ground that had potential of being an alchemical ingredient. She picked Nightshade, Dragon Tongue, and the Mora Tapinella that grew on the tall pine trees. Moss was the only carpet provided for her in the forest, a vibrant color of green covering every piece of land in sight. The ambient song of birds chirping were the only sounds she heard as she walked through the coniferous forest. It was as if there wasn't a trouble in her life as she walked through the forest.

The only thing Vidia didn't know, was that she was under a spell. The forest that she had unknowingly walked into was enchanted to make the wanderer lost. As long as the wanderer kept walking, they'd never be able to find their way back until they met the end of the forest.

It was strange for Vidia to walk into the forest of a place that was mainly uncivilized, for the only consistent residents were the animals and the Prince himself. There was no random cabins in the woods, like there would be at home, and there was no random caves or forts either. It was just one huge forest. There was no place like Oblivion, she thought. And, in all of her conjectures, she believed that Oblivion was a barren, jagged landscape, like Dagon or Boethiah's Realm, that she had accidentally visited. But she couldn't have been anymore wrong.

"You know you are journeying through a cursed forest, don't you?" A voice startled her, and made her turn in the direction of which it came from.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"I asked you a simple question, are you going to answer it?" He pressed.

"No, I didn't know. What is the enchantment?" She asked.

"I'll show you the way out, if I may." He held his hand out, but when she declined from holding his hand, he lead her out anyway.

"The curse of the forest is you'll never be able to find your way back unless you find your way out. A challenge, if you think about it. To newcomers, it's strange. To people who have been here for a long time, we've gotten used to it. Think of it as a defense mechanism for Our lord. Trespassers can never go back once they've started. It's genius." He said. Vidia wasn't one for idle conversation, as she was 'socially awkward', but there was a comfortable silence between the two, even if he was a complete stranger.

"So, are you going to answer my question? Who are you?" She questioned.

"My name is Vincent. I was hunting, when I saw a beautiful, red-headed lady who looked lost." He explained, making her grin slightly. She hated to admit it, but when men flirted with her, she couldn't help but feel overwhelmed.

"I wasn't lost, just a little disoriented." He laughed at her use of words, because feeling lost and feeling disoriented were kind of the same thing, in his eyes.

"Are you hunter, or are you prey?" He asked.

"Excuse me?" Hunter or prey?

"It's a simple question, answer it." He stated.

"I am the hunter." She answered.

"A good thing then. You are Dragonborn, are you not?" He could smell the Dovah blood radiating off of her.

"Yeah, but I'm not dead. I'm just.. visiting." She lied.

"Hmm... A visitor. Visitors are rare here.." He didn't sound like he believed her at all.

Vincent was an Imperial, that was obvious. His skin was tan, his hair was dark, yet his eyes were the exact shade of silver as every other werewolf in Hircine's Realm. Suddenly, she was no longer in the green forest, but in a golden field.

"Well, you made it this far. You interrupted my hunt, and now I shall leave you. Good luck finding your way back.." He said, leaving her, and heading towards the tree line once again.

So the only way out of the enchanted forest was to keep going? Well, that made exactly no sense. But she was in Oblivion, so nothing currently made sense. It was extremely genius for Hircine to create that kind of defense mechanism though. If only she could've done that to her forest back in Skyrim, and she probably wouldn't have been here right now.

She couldn't tell how long she walked, but she finally made it back to the palace. Her shirt was soaked in her perspiration, and her hair was plastered to her forehead. She felt that she looked like a mess, and any onlooker wouldn't have been able to agree more. The sun was beginning to set, so she knew she had her fill of exploring for the day. She refused to wait until nightfall to return, because that would mean she would be under the influence of the moon, and Gods be damned, she wasn't going to give Hircine the satisfaction of seeing her turn again.

While she was making her trek back, she realized something she hadn't thought about. Almost everyone she had seen in the Hunting Grounds were.. dead? So, that means both Brynioth and Denneth probably perished while living in Tamriel, and Vincent, the man who had led her out of the forest, had probably died as well. Hmm.. interesting.

She pushed the huge double doors open, and walked in. Her head was cast down, and she was panting from the overwhelming heat. From His throne, he could see she was stressed and tired.

"I trust you have had a pleasurable journey?" He asked once she was inside, earning a glare. The deceitful bastard knew he sent her into those cursed woods!

"Precisely." She answered sarcastically. His 'kindness' irked her so. Why couldn't he just be the evil, deal-making Daedra? It would've been a lot easier if he was.

She was starving! She hadn't ate in days. Though she could probably survive two more weeks without any food, due to her Beast Blood, she still needed some kind of nutrition in her body. She was filthy, sweaty, and felt like complete rubbish. She needed a bath, but no one offered her one.. Once again, damn Hircine! She had never gone so long without some type of contact with water, and she didn't want to have to start now!

"You smell like a dog. I'll fill a bath for you." Brynioth offered, to which Vidia graciously shook her head yes.

After five days, she finally took a bath. Her red hair was now back to its vibrant, orange color, and her face was back to its pale pallor. She had changed into a somewhat clean pair of clothes, composed of a black undershirt, black leather breeches, black lace-up boots, and a black leather jacket. She thought the "all black" look suited her mood well. She got many stares from people, mainly because she was considered "company". Some even complimented her on her outfit.

Brynioth would admit, though, that he wished that the Dovahkiin hadn't been caught defying Hircine. This had been her fall from glory. She did not have nearly the amount of respect she would have back in Skyrim, yet she deserved the respect. She had saved the entire world from the World-Eater, after all. Though it was almost comical that such a small _girl _could defeat _Alduin_.

She quietly slipped back into her room, and sat at her table. There was nothing in her room. No books, nothing. Plus, it was hotter than Hell in her room, yet she still opened her window, even though she knew it wouldn't provide much air.

(_xxx)_

"My Lord, you do know she got lost in the woods, right?" Brynioth asked Hircine.

"Yes. All who venture into the woods do become lost, after all." He answered.

"My sentries tell me Vincent lead her out. The girl is lucky she had him out there, because I wouldn't have come after the wench." Denneth said.

"You would have if I had ordered it so, Denneth." Hircine commented.

"Of course, My Lord." Denneth said.

They were unaware that a certain redhead was spying on them while the three were talking. It was always difficult for Vidia to sneak, for her red hair stuck out like a sore thumb. She was listening in on their humorous conversations from behind extremely thick doors.

She wanted to get out, though she knew that would be a harsh punishment. While Denneth and Brynioth were unaware that Vidia was eavesdropping, Hircine was fully aware. It was His realm, how could she be so oblivious? He wasn't going to call her out on it though, that would just be too embarrassing for her. While Brynioth admired the young Dovah, Denneth disliked her. This was always the case when it came to anything to do with his Chamberlains. Denneth was the snobby, selfish one, and Brynioth was the more caring and understanding one.

Vidia had finally came into view, and to her full height, and crossed over into a different hall. She made sure to give all three of them fierce, unforgiving glares that would normally scare the hell out of men in Skyrim, but had no effect on the men in the Hunting Grounds.

She refused to eat, but that didn't mean she wouldn't drink. She was incredibly thirsty, and she had too much pride to _ask _for something to drink. When she had finally reached a storage for water, she filled a small glass to the brim, and drank all of it in under 10 seconds. It was the first thing she had drank, since arriving in Hircine's Realm of Oblivion, and she wanted more. It didn't taste like the water in Skyrim though, it tasted like natural spring water, and it was as cold as ice. How could water so cold be placed inside of a place that was so warm? She'd never understand the enigma that was Hircine's Realm of Oblivion. She hated her life, right about now, but she was slowly adapting to her new life, but that also didn't mean she enjoyed it one bit. While her Shield-Siblings were probably hunting, fighting, and drinking amongst each other, she was stuck in Oblivion, fighting for an escape from the humid Summer air.

While Lydia was in Sovngarde, she was in Oblivion. Now that was the worst point of view she had seen it from. Lydia was probably feasting with her fellow Nordic heroes, while Vidia was in Hell.. How Vidia desired to once again see her Housecarl, so that she could apologize for her insolence.

"So, you believe you can eavesdrop on me and my Chamberlains?" An all too familiar haunting voice asked from behind her.

"I was hoping you didn't notice, Hircine. And if you did notice, I was hoping you didn't care." She replied back venomously. She never failed to amuse him.

"You are a breath of fresh air, have I ever told you that?" He commented.

"Seeing as we've only spoken a few times, no, you haven't." She said, crossing her arms, and facing the Hunter. This made Hircine realize that he had been outwitted by Vidia. So, the Lord of the Hunt could be easily outwitted?

"Ah, so the Prey outwits the Hunter. That is impressive, Vidia." He complimented.

"I know." She stated. She was all mouth, Hircine thought. But if she was all mouth, how did she defeat Alduin?

"You think very highly of yourself. Know that it was merely an observation, not a compliment." He told her.

"If it was 'merely an observation', why was it delivered otherwise?" She asked. Outwitted again! Hircine was not easily defeated or embarrassed, so again, this only amused him that a girl could outwit him. She was too cunning for her own good.

Of the few times she had already had with Hircine, she always forgot she was speaking with a God. An influential and extremely powerful God, who had many thousands of worshipers and cults back in Tamriel. It was easy to forget when He was speaking with her as if she were his equal. And, Gods, he was extremely intimidating. His height was greater than any man's she had ever met. Then again, he was not a man.

"Delightful. It takes courage to speak to a God with such arrogance and ferocity. Know that my siblings would not be as gracious with you as I am. I could kill you so easily.. mortal." To show her his point, he took her hand, and suddenly, the skin there withered away, and turned into nothing but bone. It was a strange thing to see, but seconds after, it morphed back into her normal hand.

She jerked her hand back, while rubbing it gently to make sure there was still skin there. Now that was.. unnerving, to say the least, to know someone could kill you without so much as whispering a spell or striking a weapon. It made Hircine all the more intimidating.

"Do you see my true power now? Observe, Vidia. Your courageousness and bravery is admirable, let us hope that admiration lasts." He said.

"I'm still not afraid of you.." She lied.

"Your eyes tell a different story. Have you not noticed the way your entire exterior changes when you lie, Vidia? Do not lie to me. Unlike Boethiah, I do not reward liars." He warned.

"No. You reward people with guile. People with guile are often liars!" She shot back.

"So you are a liar then?" He asked her. The tables then turned, she was once again the Prey. Was it not a few moments ago that she outwitted him?

"I guess I am!" She yelled back at him. Damn, he guessed she really wanted to go home. But He was an extremely stubborn Daedra, and would not let her out of his grasp. He had slightly complimented her, by telling her she had guile, but insulted her when he told her she was a liar. He was mirthlessly chuckling, and that pissed her off to the point of wanting to rip the Daedric Lord's head off!

"You do not frighten me, mortal. You merely fail to amuse. You will learn, Vidia, in due time, you can never coerce a God into submission." He said arrogantly.

She didn't know what she hated the most about Hircine. Was it his arrogance, his pride, or his power over her? She was unused to people stronger than her. She was Dragonborn for Mara's sake! No one dared raise a sword against her! Yet here she was, overpowered, intimidated, and almost ready to submit. At least she was submitting to a Daedra instead of a human. That would make for a much better story.

"I'm never giving up. And I'm going to my room, leave me alone." She said, walking away from the Huntsman.

Most people who came into contact with a Daedra would cower in fear, but she could never do that when it came to her sworn enemy. She wished she had never accepted the Beast Blood, ever! This was a complete Hell!

"Get bent, Hircine!" She yelled while making the trek back to her room. She wanted to make sure everyone inside of the palace heard it, especially the one that the insult was directed at.

This insult directed at him did not phase him, it just amused him, like everything else she did. He was.. intrigued by her, to say the least. He wanted to break that extremely stubborn exterior to see if anything desirable lay beneath it. He knew from watching her in Tamriel that she wasn't very stubborn, but he figured that he brought out the absolute _best _in her. Furthermore, no woman had ever acted out on their own true feelings to him. Every woman had fallen under his spell. Yet this one openly fought and argued with him? He supposed it was the Dovah blood in her.

Hircine _was _planning an organized hunt for this upcoming week, but he had _her _to deal with. He feared if he left her alone, she would find one of the many portals scattered across the Hunting Grounds, and would flee to Tamriel. He couldn't stop her if that was the case, he would've been to involved in the hunt. So, that would mean she would have to come with him, or perhaps he would not lead a hunt at all. Ugh, she really was a stick in the mud, wasn't she? He did not, and never would, understand mortals, and why they did the things they did. And, he was a Daedra who had spent many millenniums with mortals worshiping and respecting him! He understood their morals and beliefs, unlike many of his siblings, but he didn't agree with many of them.

No matter how conflicted Vidia felt, Hircine was being gracious to her. He was letting her be disrespectful, ungrateful, and sassy. But who wouldn't be either of those things if they were trapped in an Oblivion Realm? She wished she could kill him, but she didn't want to think on the impossible. So, she had to just settle with blocking his influence from her. He was a God, and he was extremely powerful.

(_xxx) _

The Companions had not gotten any letters, or anything, from Vidia for an extremely long period of time. It had been at least over two weeks since they had heard from her, and they were beginning to be slightly suspicious of the situation. Aela believed she was just becoming distant, as she warned Vidia she would if she stayed away from civilization. Vilkas, always being very pessimistic, believed her to be dead, as he did not believe in her.. expertise. Farkas, being the kindhearted and emotional one, thought she had forgotten about them, and waved a visit to them off. Gods, he missed her.

"We should look for her, Vilkas." Farkas told his younger, more intelligent twin.

"We don't look for corpses, Farkas. If she's still alive, she'll come back. If she's not, well, she just won't." Vilkas replied back.

"Stop, Vilkas. You know my feelings for her." Farkas said.

"Oh yes, how could I forget about that? She'll come back, soon, alive and happy to see you." Vilkas knew he wouldn't need to do anymore explaining to his older brother to satisfy him.

Vilkas cared about his Harbinger well enough to think about her well-being, but she was Dragonborn for Gods' sake! He thought she could take care of herself, but he would never imagine where she really was. If the twins knew Hircine had her unwilling, within his realm, they would go into a rage. Aela, however, deeply respected Hircine, and would make no moves against Him, even if it was for her Harbinger's sake.

But no one really cared about the well-being of Vidia Erickson. She was quite forgotten after defeating Alduin, nobody tried helping her because they thought she could face anything on her own. The only people she really had at her backs were the Companions, and maybe General Tullius, but there was no way even if any of them knew, they could have the courage to come after her. That would be her lucky day if it were so.

In contrast to the Hell that Vidia was in, citizens of Whiterun were running the streets, picking flowers, and enjoying the fragrant air that they believed only Skyrim could offer. Everything was perfectly normal, compared to what was happening in the life of the Dragonborn. How many people can say they have been to Oblivion and survived?

_(xxx)_

It had been over a week since Vidia had been trapped in the Hunting Grounds, and she was growing restless to once again see Skyrim. Why must Hircine be so stubborn about keeping her soul? What was so special about her that he had to hold her here, unwillingly? It was undoubtedly the Dovah blood in her, for the soul of a Dovah would be considered "rare", and special.

Furthermore, she had not eaten since her arrival in the Realm, and was literally starving. But she would do whatever it took to rebel against Hircine. It's not like he would care for her health and well-being anyways, so why bother? Brynioth had always brought her food and drinks, but she left them untouched. After a while, he stopped bringing them, because they would always go to waste anyways. It's not that she didn't want to eat, she just didn't want to give in to Hircine. He brought out the stubborn fire inside of her. He was the only person who had made her lose control of her temper, because he was the calm and mature one, while she was the uncontrollable child who had stolen from the cookie jar.

No one was there to council her, no one was there to encourage her or offer her advice. This, in her opinion was the worst, because she knew nobody cared for her here. The solitude, she was used to, she had dealt with it all of her life as the Dragonborn, but the thought that she had no friends or allies here was the thing that bothered her. She was so accustomed to having someone want her. She hadn't spoken with Hircine since she told him to "get bent", and honestly, she wasn't ready to face him. Would he be mad, or merely amused, like he usually was? She desperately hoped the latter, but she would never admit her fear to him.

Hircine had to admit, He was a little angry with Vidia. She showed her utmost disrespect to him, even when he was being nothing but gracious. Ugh.. woman, he thought. No man would ever create a show like a woman would. But this girl wasn't like all women. He knew she had a justified reason to be angry with him, but she was being a little over-dramatic about it. He had.. _a lot _of experience with women, and he knew how to both calm and anger them. Yet.. she was not _them_.

As he sat in his throne, he actually contemplated in just killing her, but he knew that would only cause trouble, and just create another unnecessary bump in the road. Plus, he had taken a strange liking to the girl from the few times he had conversed with her. Besides providing a valuable soul, she could also be a valuable weapon.

He wanted to show her that he meant her no harm, but he was being as stubborn as she was being. Even Daedra were known to make mistakes. Still, it _was _all of her fault, right? Right? Maybe he was being a little too harsh, even for him. He was notorious for his wrath, after all.

In her quarters, she was on her knees, trying to resist the food that had been placed in her room. She was officially malnourished. She had never gone so long without food! How prisoners did this daily, was a thought that came to her. It really was silly, and incredibly immature to not eat the food given to her. Still, she stood straight, and lifted her chin, ready to defend her case, and continue boycotting. She would rather die than give in!

"Open, girl." Brynioth said from outside of her door.

"You can open doors, can't you?" She shot back. He charged through the door with a large loaf of bread. She rolled her eyes at the suggestion that she would probably end up eating something.

"Girl, if I must tell you one more time to eat your food, I will personally kill you myself. You are the Dragonborn, and you would die of starvation, of all things? If you can kill Alduin, you can overcome this. You need to eat. If you don't, I'll make Hircine personally feed you, and I don't think you want that." He warned. He cared for the girl's well-being, but he knew he had to be rude to be kind. She hesitated, but reached for the bread in Brynioth's grasp.

"Thank you, for bringing me the bread. I was.. stubborn, I know that." He nodded, and walked out of the room, not wanting to speak with the temperamental Dragonborn.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Thanks to those of you who have taken the time to review. It actually does mean a lot to me as a writer. Also, thank you for taking the time to read this story. I will try to update whenever I have the time, let's back to the story, shall we? _

Hircine wouldn't lie. He loathed the girl whose scent now tainted the air of his palace. He wouldn't lie about how he was also intrigued, and would make an effort to finally try to create a diversion so that they could get along. Those fierce, silver eyes were always in the back of his mind, he could still see her determined glare! If help with controlling her transformations was what she really wanted, he could at least help her and guide her through that. It was truly the least, and only, thing he could do.

So, that is why he had summoned her to the courtyard outside his palace. He felt _almost_ guilty about keeping her locked in her room at all times, because he knew she was slowly becoming depressed. He felt that was an emotion unfitting of the Dragonborn, the mortal with the soul of a Dragon, who had saved the entire world from Alduin's Bane.

"You summoned me?" Vidia asked, coming into view.

Vidia walked a certain way, with so much pride. Her hips swayed as she swaggered over to him with an air of confidence. Yes, she'd be dead if she had been with any other Daedra besides Hircine. Molag Bal would've tortured, then slaughtered her for her arrogance, Boethiah would've slaughtered her for her defiance, and Azura would've killed her for her disrespect. It was.. strange, that every trait his siblings disliked in mortals, he admired.

"Yes, I did. I have summoned you, because I feel that helping you control your emotions and transformations is the least I could do." He admitted.

"So you're finally owning up to this? Well, I don't need your help, Hircine, even if I pleaded for it a couple of weeks ago." She lied. She needed help, but she wasn't ready to ask the man that was holding her captive for help.

"Oh, grow up, mortal. Admit to your own mistakes, you are an adult, no? You are in dire need of help. A damsel in distress, a term I have heard many mortals use. If I were you, I'd accept my invitation. Swallow that stubborn pride of yours, and surrender. There is not an escape for you, Vidia. I can either help or hinder you, 'tis your choice." He said in that deep voice that had haunted her ever since she had heard it.

"I accept. But it is for my sake, not yours." She stopped, but continued when she realized He was waiting for her to end her sentence, "Where do we start?"

"I believe you have lashed out on several different occasions, correct? Then perhaps it is time for you to learn how to harbor your emotions and anger. Believe this, you are not the only mortal who has had difficulty finding a balance between their emotions and their transformations. It is a burden almost every were-creature must bear. But with my help, you can master the Beast Blood enough for it to become a gift for you." He explained. Who knew someone so aggressive and hot-headed could be so soft-spoken and charismatic?

"Are you sure such a thing is possible?" She asked.

"I am the creator of your kind. I can feel every emotion you have ever felt during or after a transformation. We have a closer bond than you think, Vidia." He told her.

"We have no 'bond'. You can feel every emotion any werewolf has. Not just me, hm?" She replied. She really was a pain in the ass.

"True. You should know that I could hear every thought inside of your mind while you were in Beast Form. Your morals filled me with pride, until you decided you were going to go to Ysgramor's Tomb, to cure yourself of the gift I had bestowed upon you. It is good I stopped you before it was too late. Otherwise.. you would not be here currently.." He said.

"All the better then. If only I could be so lucky!" She said, part of her statement she was being serious, the other half was.. joking? Joking because she knew that she could never be lucky enough to see home again.

"Let us not be interrupted, mortal. I will do what I can in my power, to help you. You must cooperate." He ordered.

"I have a question, before we get started." She announced. When she received no answer, she continued. "Is it true that there is such things as werebears?"

"Yes. Let's begin, mortal. You're driving my patience." He warned.

"Well, I'm in Hell already. Why not have a little fun? We're practically enemies, Hircine. But yes, let's begin." She said.

"I believe you are a member of the group they call The Companions, yes?" He questioned.

"Yes.." She answered honestly, knowing she couldn't lie to the Daedric Lord and get away with it.

"Then I assume you were taught by Aela, another carrier of the Beast Blood. She is a fierce, brave warrior, yet few know her behind her mask. I am one of those few, for I watch over all of my children. She had not been the best forebear to you. Since you were already Dragonborn, the daily turmoils of your life put much stress on you. You used your transformations as somewhat of a release. This, I understand, it is perfectly normal." He explained. Damn him, he was always right. She had used the transformations as 'somewhat' of a release at most times. And, Aela was not the best teacher.

"Aela is an amazing woman, she taught me a lot of things I know now. But perhaps.. you are right, she was not the best teacher." _Oh! _How she hated admitting, out loud nonetheless, that he was right! Though she was surprised at how easily it flowed from her tongue, into words.

"No, she was not. I will tell you why, in fact. When you had awoken near a Silver Hand fort, after changing for the first time, Skjor was killed by them, correct?" She felt a pang of sadness at the mention of Skjor, but nodded for him to continue,"Aela directed both of yours rage at the death of him. This taught you to have less control, as you were killing people who had killed one of your comrades. You were especially angry after the death of Kodlak, and did not cure yourself because you wanted to make sure that if there were any Silver Hand left, you would have the ability to kill them. Now, it is a relief you did not cure yourself, as I have mentioned before. I believe my theory is correct, but the question is, do you?" He asked.

"There is flaws in your theory, but then again, everything you say gives me a headache. But yes, I was angry because of their deaths, and the Silver Hand, for a long time, even when I lived in the woods. That is why I lived out there, to get away from people, and so people wouldn't have to witness the monster I had become." She responded. He almost laughed, but settled with an amused hum.

"You do realize that living far away from civilization would make everything all the more worse, no?" He asked.

"I didn't lose control much. I had visitors come and go, every once and awhile. I wasn't completely alone, you know. There was.. other packs out there too." She answered.

"I believe Viktor and his pack were one of them?" How dare he bring up Viktor? He was partially one of the reasons she was here!

"_Don't _bring _him _up." She warned.

"From what I recall, I am the Lord of this land, and I may speak to you with whatever matters I would like. I do not bring him up to harm you, I am asking you questions. Calm, child." He said.

"Fine, go on." She said, rolling her eyes after her statement. Was this always how they were going to be? 'Frenemies'?

"Controlling your emotions is far different from controlling your transformations. You have uncontrollable transformations because of your, shall we say, slight temper. You are a patient and selfless woman, yet you have built up stress over the years." He explained. He actually complimented me, she thought.

He discussed the transformations with her for a little over an hour, and she found herself clinging to every word he said. This would help her, she knew it would. And when it helped her, she could finally get away from Hircine! It was a "win, win", she supposed. He had finally talked sense into the beautiful, fiery-haired Dovahkiin, and promised she would leave someday.. but not soon. He didn't trust her, and in all honesty, he really didn't think he ever would.

Perhaps it wasn't a "win, win", after all. Just another fantasy of hers that would never happen. She so badly wanted to escape her life right now. But she couldn't, she just knew she could never get away from Hircine. He did tell her he would chase her across Nirn if it came down to that. She thought if anyone had received Hircine's wrath, she had.. Mortals would be trembling in fear at the mere sight of him, while she openly insulted and threw threats at him. Yet there was always that fear, the fear that perhaps one day she would receive his full wrath. Now that, would be horrifying. She didn't even want to think or imagine about what He would do to her if she tried to escape. He could kill her, or worse, torture her. Now torturing was something she had experienced only once, and she didn't want to experience it again. According to her, torture was worse than death. After all, what kind of fool would endure so much pain just to die in the end?

When she was done "discussing" things with Hircine, she returned to her room. This was a room she had seen too much of in the past two weeks, and she was growing tired of it. She wouldn't deny it, she became bored easily. Even in Tamriel, she would use swap weapons all the time, because she was becoming tired of the weapon she was using. The walls themselves were a bland shade of gray, and the bed she had occupied the night before was also gray, and quite uncomfortable. The mattress was too firm, and the pillows were too flat. The table and chair she was currently occupying was wooden, but also gray! The wardrobe that had "magically" been conjured into her room was the only _colorful _piece of furniture in her room. It was a deep wooden color, and was quite large. It had many pairs of clothes inside, probably because Hircine had expected her to transform along with the other werewolves of the Hunting Grounds, knowing the clothes would ultimately be damaged. There were leather jackets, underclothes, pairs of boots, and leggings and breeches.

A knock sounded on her door, and she opened it, finding an amused Brynioth waiting outside of it. He was not nearly as tall as his Lord, but tall in mortal standards nonetheless. She wondered why everyone in Oblivion was so damn tall, but she decided that it was probably because they were considered Daedra if they were citizens of Oblivion, and Daedra were taller than Tamrielic people.

"What?" She asked him.

"May I come in?" He questioned her politely.

"Sure, why not. But I'm warning you, I only have one chair at my table." She told him.

"No longer." He replied. She looked towards the table, and had to do a double-take. At the table, there were now two chairs.

When they were sitting, she looked over to him, expecting him to begin his obviously important conversation anytime soon. He looked awkwardly amused, and she wondered why. Was it something she did? Or, it was probably because of the amusing bickering with Hircine in the courtyard.

"So, you spoke with our Lord in the courtyard today? He was impressed with your patience and calmness." He started.

"Sure he was." She said disbelievingly. She didn't know why she was so rude to Hircine's chamberlains, but it probably had something to do with the fact that they were his second in commands. Denneth was a real bastard, but Brynioth was quite courteous and respectful to her.

"Believe me, I am His chamberlain. He comes to me for advice and discussions. He is, shall we say, intrigued by you. So I have come to advise you on something, like I advise my Lord.. You should stay within his interests. Though he is not one to dispose of potential, unlike his siblings. If, by chance, he becomes so angered by you, you could be damned to rot in this realm for the rest of eternity. And, I will tell you something. Eternity is a long time, you would grow tired of it after awhile. But Hircine has all of the time in the world, literally." He explained. What was the point of this conversation, exactly?

"Excuse me, but what is the point of this conversation, Brynioth?" She asked impatiently.

"I believe we have already discussed that. I beg of you, please stay within Hircine's good graces, because if you don't, you will regret it, trust me. I have witnessed firsthand what happens to Hircine's 'faithful' when they betray him. Don't be like them." He advised.

"You do know I'd escape at any given chance? You are all taking my life away, and it isn't fair. I had a life before all of this shit, and you have taken my chances at living a normal life away. I'll never have a normal life, ever again, because of Him." She finished. At least she could blow off steam by talking to Brynioth, for that was the only good purpose he served to her.

"Trust me, if you knew what he would do to you, you would think twice. And then after your punishment, the other Daedric Lords would be aware that Hircine held the soul of the Dragonborn, and when they found that out, they would wage a war over you. It is a rare thing, the Dragonborn's soul, and furthermore, it is more valuable than any other kind of soul. Just stay in Hircine's good graces. Now, I also have a question to ask you." He said.

"Okay, shoot." She replied back.

"I am aware that this is not the first Oblivion realm you have visited. What are the other realms you have visited?" He questioned.

"Why does it matter?" She shot back, as if it was a matter she did not want to discuss.

"Just tell me, I am merely curious." He said.

"Fine. If you must know, I accidentally found myself in Dagon's Realm. I have no idea how I got there, or why I was there. I kept searching for an exit, until I found an Oblivion portal. I had researched a thing or two about Oblivion realms. I purposefully went into Boethiah's Realm, because I had heard that there was something pertaining to the Elder Scrolls there. I found that it was merely a lie, and that the clues of finding the Elder Scrolls were scattered across Skyrim, not Oblivion." She admitted, as if it was a blow to her pride to admit that she had awoken, disoriented, in Dagon's Realm, and had wandered into Boethiah's Realm because of a mere rumor. The girl was lucky she wasn't killed on sight in either realm.

"If I were you, I'd consider myself lucky for being able to take one step in either realm. Be glad that our Lord is not like his siblings." He said. She hated how he called Hircine 'our lord', because he sure as hell wasn't her 'lord'.

"Yeah, Boethiah, he's pretty.. difficult, at times. I was actually exiled from his realm. But can we not discuss this? It is not something I particularly like to discuss." She explained. She was done talking about experiences she didn't wish to relive.

"Of course. To be honest, you have no friends here. If you ever need anyone to speak with, count me as one of the people who have the privilege to speak with you. I'm available. I would like to know you better.." He told her. The end of his sentence was quite.. suggestive, if that was the right word. Was he hitting on her?

Gods, she hoped he wasn't hitting on her. She didn't need another Farkas, a puppy to follow her around at her feet everywhere she went. Not that she didn't completely adore Farkas, but he could be clingy, to be frank. They did have an intimate relationship, once, but she ended it when she felt that it was interfering with her duties of being the Dragonborn, and she knew she wouldn't have the time or energy to hold a relationship.

And, if he was hitting on her, she didn't know how she would take it. She had enough stress as it is, and she didn't even know how to deal with it anymore. Who could she pray to so she could find help? What Gods would listen to her now? Looking back now, she knew the Gods probably abandoned her a long time ago. So, Hircine was the only Godly figure that even remotely cared about her well-being? Well, that was bad, considering he hated her.

Her fortunes just kept getting better and better, didn't they? She should be enjoying life, and she knew she better start, because from this point on, if she didn't, things would just get worse. If she were in Tamriel, she would be enjoying life, but it was bland and tasteless. The forests of Tamriel were beautiful, as was Tamriel itself, but she did get bored easily. Perhaps she could learn to enjoy this realm of Oblivion. Possibly look on the bright side, from now on. At least she wasn't dead, right?

Looking out of her tiny window, she saw glimpses of the sunlight shining into her room, those glimpses of the sun being the only remnants of light that shone in her room, for there was no lanterns or torches. This was how it was at night, too, the moon would be the only illumination in her room. Sometimes, she could even hear the Hunt while it was happening. That, in her opinion, made her stay even worse. Hearing the wolves while they were on the Hunt was why she despised the place as much as she did. It reminded her that she was still a monster, like them, and that she had killed her best friend, out of wanting to keep her existence as a werewolf a secret. Sometimes, it was just difficult to be her. Of course, most people wouldn't agree with that, because she was probably one of the wealthiest and most influential people in Tamriel. But the title of wealthy and influential was no longer a title for her. She had lost most of what she loved, and had lost the people's favor when she destroyed Alduin, because in all honesty, people stopped caring about her. After she killed Alduin, she was just someone the people feared, and they would hardly speak to her out of fear. So, she was a monster in both ways. Paarthurnax had informed her that it was the life of a Dovah, to be feared wherever she went, but she didn't know if she should've believed that.

The only people that truly excepted her was Ohdaviing, whom she could summon at any time, Paarthurnax, and.. she hated to admit it, but Hircine. Hircine did not see her as a monster, but as a unique and beautiful creature. She didn't know if she admired or despised that. She only knew she despised him.. But if he were all she had now, what else could she do but go along with it? Of course Brynioth had told her she could speak with him at anytime, but that would be forced, like she was being forced to confide in him, which was really what it was. How she hated the fact that mortals would kill to be recognized as a interest for Hircine, while she would kill to be anything but.

A butterfly flew inside of her window, and she found herself intrigued by it. The colors of its wings were a vivid yellow, and its body was a solid black. She held out her hand, and after a minute or so, the butterfly flew over to her, landing directly inside of her palm. It was funny how she was so interested in the small, harmless pieces of life, and that she would rather hold a butterfly than a weapon or gold. In her opinion, nature and life was the most valuable gift anyone could've possibly given her. She lightly stroked the sun-kissed wings of the insect's body with her other hand, and after a few minutes, it flew away, ready to feast on the nectar of one of the many flowers in the Hunting Grounds. How could it be that such a harmless creature could roam such a dangerous place? But never mind that, the butterfly flew into the direction of the forest, most likely she had a nest of some sorts there.

At least she knew that were-creatures weren't the only life that roamed the Realm of Hircine. Of course, how she didn't realize that before was a complete mystery, because the Realm was breathtakingly beautiful. She supposed it was like that, so animals could graze the many forests and plains. Or perhaps Hircine admired animals as much as he admired hunting them. She figured it was the latter. She figured if Hircine was the God of the Hunt, he would probably enjoy life as much as he enjoyed destroying it. He was unpredictable like that, she thought.

She knew he wasn't usually counted as a malevolent Daedric Prince, and she could finally agree on that. He was somewhat respectable, but she held only a small bit of respect for him. He was considerate to her, even though she was rude and disrespectful to him. She had to give him credit for that. But she still struggled with the Beast Blood, and she probably would for a long time from now. He was wrong to keep her here, and she was right to fight against him, but He was a Daedric Prince, for Kyne's sake. What chances did she have against him?

(_xxx_)

Hircine had heard the entire conversation between Brynioth and Vidia, it was his realm, after all. He was actually satisfied that he had spoken with the wayward Dragonborn that would escape his Realm at any given chance. He was also satisfied with the fact that she was probably going to be a little easier to control now. Perhaps without her rebellions, he could get to know her now. But inside, he knew that she would most likely never stop fighting against him. She was a Nord at heart, and would never give up on what she believed was right. And for some reason, he was bothered by Brynioth's romantic interest in her. She was Hircine's property after all, and she belonged to him, so he figured that was probably why.

Denneth was at his side, like always, and glared at what seemed like nothing until Brynioth entered his view. Brynioth went directly to his lord's side, at his throne, and casually leaned against the side of his throne. To Brynioth, life was good, and his Lord was very kind and gracious to him. It would've been counted as a privilege to lean against a Daedric Prince's throne, but to Brynioth, who had been a Chamberlain of Hircine for over 200 years, it was just a regular, overlooked thing.

"It was a good conversation, I believe?" Hircine asked, while lightly chuckling.

"How I admire her, but how you have not killed her for her disobedience and stubbornness is beyond me, my Lord. I will never understand." Brynioth admitted, earning another chuckle from his Lord. Hircine was in a good mood today, Brynioth thought.

"It comes with age, and being around mortals for many millenniums. Though I will tell you that my siblings would not be treating her as gracious as I have been. She would have been dead already. It is a pity I could not show her to my siblings without starting a war over her soul. Perhaps one day I shall, and they shall know that she is mine." Hircine said.

Denneth just stood by, and listened to Brynioth and his Lord's conversation. He hated how Brynioth was always his lord's favorite, even when Denneth usually had the best possible advice. Maybe it was Denneth's attitude, that did not earn the Lord's favor? He, for one, hated Vidia, and wanted nothing to do with her, unlike Brynioth, his rival. He knew better than to make open moves against her, so he ignored and even avoided the wayward Dovahkiin. He wanted no part in her affairs. She would only cause more trouble in his life. And now, that Vidia had somewhat let her guard down, he really wanted to avoid her, so that she knew he would never help her with any of her endeavors, he wanted her to know he was extremely, if not too, loyal to Hircine. It also irked him how both of the men could even take an interest in the Dragonborn. She was beautiful, in her own way, but he did not particularly care for women with fair skin. He liked his women to be either Imperial or Redguard. Whilst Brynioth and his Lord spoke, he glared at both of them. Not that he didn't admire and respect Hircine, but he had to admit he hated being the outsider of the three. Hircine didn't nearly ask him for advice and conversation as much as he did Brynioth.  
This made him hate his arch-rival even more than he already did.

"I don't understand how either of you are remotely interested in the red-headed wench." Denneth muttered to himself, but both Hircine and Brynioth heard it.

The two currently speaking with each other didn't even acknowledge Denneth, choosing to ignore his comment. This is something they did most of the time, since Denneth complained a lot. People who visited Hircine's realm of Oblivion would never even guess that Hircine spoke or even acknowledged anyone to or as a friend. Because outside of his Chamberlains, He was extremely professional, never letting his guard down. Of course, his behavior with the Dragonborn was quite immature for someone his age, because she simply irked him so, he loved a challenge, and he never gave up arguing when it came to her. She really was a one-of-a-kind.

He trusted both of his Chamberlains with his immortal soul, Brynioth more than Denneth, but trusted them nonetheless. True, he did not confide in them with everything he thought, but he often found himself seeking conversation with them instead of his Daedric siblings. Besides, the only sibling he felt he could even remotely seek conversation with was Sheogorath, whose quirky attitude merely amused him to no end, but not as much as the Dovah that was currently in his palace.

It was true that Hircine and Boethiah visited each other often, to plot against Molag Bal and Clavicus Vile, but Boethiah was a stick in the mud, and wanted nothing but to see bloodshed and kill, so he did not go to Boethiah unless it was absolutely necessary.

Outside of his two Chamberlains, he had no one to confide in. He was a God, for Gods' sake, and he had no friends. It was the life of a God, of all Gods. People only respected him and obeyed him out of fear, and though it was quite a privilege to be feared, it was also annoying. Even his Chamberlains feared his wrath. In fact, he was a little surprised that Vidia didn't show any fear for him at all. But again, this is a trait that he admired in the woman. It was something rare, and he respected it. And his respect was hard to earn.

He hated her existence, though. He should've killed her, and taken her soul instead. That would've been so much easier on his behalf. Of course, if that had been a mistake, he could've just undone it. He is a God after all.

Suddenly, the woman whose eyes were always in the back of his mind appeared in his hall. How beautiful she looked, even in her slightly disheveled state. Her hair was tied back, into a single braid. She looked almost.. laid-back, or casual. Casual would probably have been a better word for her appearance. She was still wearing all black, but had taken off her jacket, leaving her in a black undershirt. He wondered why she would wear all black when green would most likely make her hair look more beautiful, and make the red even more vibrant, if such a thing were possible.

Instead of walking to Hircine, like he thought she was going to, she walked out of the doors, and was probably walking over to the forest. Gods, she was unpredictable. She shut the doors behind her, and he found himself almost disappointed that she didn't come to him to bicker at him once again.

After a few minutes, he found himself bored, and stood up from his throne, and went out of his palace, walking in the direction of where Vidia went. If she went into the forest, she would have not the slightest idea of where she was going. Besides, he actually found himself desiring the Dragonborn's company. This was quite odd for him, especially because they both claimed to hate each other..


	5. Chapter 5

The forest of this place was beyond magnificent, and she had never seen anything before that was as enchanting. She knew the curse on the forest, however, and she knew that once she entered, there was no going back, only going forward, or else she would be lost for all eternity.

Leaves rustled, and there was a light, warm breeze that only Summertime could deliver. It was almost as if it never stormed in the Hunting Grounds, probably to not disturb the animals that dwelt within. Everyday, the Sun shined here, and only occasionally were there light showers. But still, there was nothing more fragrant in this place than the morning dew that she could smell upon awakening every day. Even in the afternoon, she could still faintly smell it. It was the most calming sensation to walk among an empty forest, in her opinion. There was no bandits, which was rare anywhere. Of course, she knew they would have no chance in the Hunting Grounds. She could hardly survive here herself.

She could feel someone's presence though, a male's presence. She could both feel it, and smell it. _He _was here with her. Why did _he _have to follow her? Without her acute senses, she would've never even knew the Huntsman was behind her. His footsteps were silent, and he walked with all of the agility someone would expect from a hunter. But he wasn't just a hunter, he was _the _hunter. He was more experienced than anyone when it came to the art of agility, speed, and guile. She wouldn't lie, his presence was intimidating, and extremely masculine, like his sphere represented him as. Masculine and cunning. That was all he ever was, really. She hated that about him, his arrogance. Of course all of that arrogance was well-deserved, since he had every right to be arrogant, considering he was a God, and that always something she over-looked while she argued with him. She always over-looked the fact she was arguing and bickering with a God. It was a strange feeling, having somewhat of a power over him, albeit rather small.

"Why did you follow me?" She asked, without turning around, and there was no need to turn around, for she knew who it was.

"Did I not surprise you?" He asked.

"I was taught to sense the presence of a wicked soul at an early age. It is not difficult but sometimes tedious.." She replied back.

"But am I your enemy or your savior? Tell me Vidia." He pressed on.

"You are neither enemy nor savior. Though you have forced me into a miserable life, so if you want an actual answer to your stupid question, then I'll answer it simply: enemy." She answered. This made him grin smugly from under his mask, she brought him nothing but pure joy, something he had never experienced. She should be making him angry, and murderous, but she only seemed to brighten his spirits when she was around.

"I can see how the Companions recruited you, a long time ago, Vidia. Your fire is excellent, if I do say so myself. I am terribly proud." He said.

"So you wish to compliment me now?" She asked.

"I only compliment the best, so you should be proud as well." He stated.

It was her turn to ask questions once again, "Why do you hex this forest, Hircine?"

"A few millenniums ago, Vile and Bal's servants had invaded this realm, along with vampires and their own other spawns. To protect my children, and to protect my palace, I hexed the forest. The entire army of the vampires were disoriented and could not navigate their way through the realm. Eventually, they died from starvation. Their bones and ashes were spread throughout the soil of this forest, it is what makes the plants so fertile." He explained.

"I give you credit for that idea, that is intelligent. So you kept the hex on it ever since then?" She questioned.

"Yes. They have not invaded ever since. As you could most likely conjecture, both Molag Bal and Clavicus Vile were furious. I have many enemies, Vidia." He said.

"Yes, you do. Take it from someone with firsthand experience of being your enemy.." She teased. When they spoke to each other, like this, it was almost as if they weren't enemies at all, 'frenemies'.

"Vidia, you do know this hatred for me is becoming bland, and somewhat tiresome? Can we not coexist in my realm together? You do enjoy the nature and wildlife of this place, do you not? I would like to be able to know the savior of Nirn for myself. You are not like other mortals, after all. So shall we put away this every-lasting hatred for each other and come to the terms that you shall not leave until you have earned my trust and vice versa? It would be much, much easier for the both of us. You are still so young and still do not understand life as well as I do." There he was, with all of the cunning and charisma of a well-experienced hunter. He had a silver-tongue, much like hers, except it was much more inviting and enchanting, like the ancient forest surrounding them.

She pondered on his suggestion, and she knew he was right. The only way she could _ever _leave was if she had earned the right to in his eyes. Maybe it was time to start living in somewhat peace, because the sooner she could get out, the sooner she would be happy and able to be with the Companions again. But then there was.. Lydia. She had overlooked that matter. There was still Lydia to deal with. When she returned, if she returned.. how could she tell everyone in Whiterun that the honorable Housecarl of the Dragonborn had been killed? Some would see that underneath all of the charade, Vidia had killed her. Then, Vidia would be considered a monster to the people of Whiterun. The Companions would never judge her, for Vidia was their Harbinger. But General Tullius would turn his back on her, and everything she had done for him and the Imperial Army, and if he did, she wouldn't blame him. Maybe she just wasn't meant to face life in Tamriel for awhile. Who knows, maybe she could enjoy the Hunting Grounds and the warm air that she had never felt.

"Fine, agreed. We can coexist. But that doesn't mean I'm not still absolutely pissed at you.." She told him, almost jokingly.

"Understood. What if I proposed a walk in the woods? Would you accept?" He questioned.

"I would accept.." She replied back hesitantly. She instantly regretted her words, because even though they were now acquaintances, there would always be heavy tension between them. She was the one that wanted to destroy the gift given to her, after all.

"Then allow me to show you the forest of Tilithrin. You shall not regret it, I assure you." He promised. She so badly wanted to leave his company, but he was speaking to her like she was an equal. A God was speaking to her like she was an ally.

He walked with her through the forest, telling her the names of the creatures that sometimes stalked the moss-covered grounds. There wasn't a single plant in the forest that was dead. The entire forest was alive in its own way. Gods, it was enchanting, and it was almost like the trees of Tilithrin whispered her name, for she could sometimes hear it in the fragrant air. It was a privilege to walk with Hircine, many mortals would say, but to Vidia, it was almost a chore, but it was almost nice, and refreshing. He was quiet, and did not talk much, a perfect match for her. Occasionally, he would redirect her to go on the right path.

"I have heard many legends of the forest of Tilithrin, but I never believed them. It is enchanting, the entire forest is alive.." She commented.

"Did you think the Lord of the Hunt and the sport of Daedra would want molten lava streams and a jagged, stone palace? Leave that to my siblings, Vidia. They always knew how to attract visitors to their Realm." He replied back with disdain.

"It sounds as though you don't hold much admiration for your siblings?" She asked. It was strange to make conversation with him, and it was even more strange that she had the sudden, and odd, urge to speak with him.

"Many of us are rivals to one another. Some of us are allies. We all have one thing in common, however. We hold no respect for the mortal race." He said.

"That is why your kind are called Daedra then, meaning.. 'not our ancestors'..." She muttered to herself. The Daedra were a mystery, something she had always been interested in, but never had the courage to become a scholar on the subjects of Daedra and Oblivion. She never wanted to enter Boethiah nor Dagon's Realm ever again.

"Yes. Though some of my siblings lack honor, and do not reward a respectable mortal as they should. One bad apple spoils the bunch, as your kind say." He answered.

"Would you consider yourself one of those apples?" She asked.

"To answer your question honestly, no. I reward mortals whom deserve being rewarded. My reputation amongst some of your kind has been spoiled because of the Hunt I devise every Era. It is purely recreational, and it matters not if you believe it is dishonorable. As you can tell, it is hard to win my favor. Are there any more questions?" He was being.. friendly with her, but not out of forced kindness, but out of something real. He actually respected her, she was an honorable warrior and hunter, after all.

"Just one. Do the Aedra actually exist?" She questioned. It had been on her mind lately, and only a God would know, anyways.

"It is up to you to decide that, mortal. But if you know any lore at all, you would continue believing, else the mortals would not call us 'Daedra', and the Divines, 'Aedra'." He answered cryptically, as if it was something the Daedra were forbidden to tell mortals. And if the Aedra really did exist, they were also siblings with the Daedra. That was incredibly.. strange. And, now that she thought about it, the Daedra have as much influence on Nirn as the 'Aedra', if they really existed.

She so badly wanted to believe, if Akatosh heard her prayers, and was actually in the realm of Aetherius, that he could somehow help her. That he could somehow intervene with the hell that was her life right now. Sure, she coexisted with Hircine now, but she would be in Oblivion for who knows how long. She wasn't near any of her friends, and it wasn't like she could hire a courier, and write to the Companions that everything was fine and normal, because that would be a lie. Akatosh did gift her with the power of being Dragonborn, did he not? Or was that some other made-up lie the people came up with so they wouldn't lose faith?

She always wondered what the Divines looked like, or how they acted. They seemed like passive deities, but that was probably because they were considered the "Benevolent Gods", compared to the Daedric Princes. No matter how many hard times she had already witnessed in Oblivion, not all Dremora and Daedra were evil. Some, were more civilized than human races even. If only she had a quill and a journal, so that she could write down her experiences, so that she could record the mysterious and sometimes cryptic behavior of the Daedra. She was tempted to just write it down on a piece of cloth, or anything else she could find.

She had finally stopped trekking the forest with her new "friend", and when they were out of the treeline of Tilithrin, they parted ways. It seemed like he had dissipated into thin air, because the next thing she saw when she turned around, was nothing. He had left without a farewell. That was okay, because their conversations had been awkward and full of tension anyways. She didn't need anyone's company, especially his. Even if she had lost faith in the Gods saving her, she still prayed whenever she could.

She proceeded to walk back to the palace, so that she wouldn't have to be outside while it got dark. The Sun was already going down, and she could hear that the Hunt had already started. This was something she could hear every night, and she was already used to it now. She was used to living around werewolves, at Jorrvaskr. It was nothing new to her.

However, it didn't mean that the endless howls and yelps didn't bother her, because they did. Again, it reminded her that she was no more, or less, than the monsters that prowled the Oblivion Realm she currently resided in. The Call of the Hunt was noticeably stronger in the Hunting Grounds, but she refused to transform into the monster she was. It reminded her too much of Lydia, her noble protector that she had known for years, since she discovered she was Dragonborn. Loyal, always, to the end. Vidia wished she could take back a lot of things, but if she could only take back one, it would be the mistake of transforming while Lydia was staying at her home, in the woods.

(_xxx)_

Hircine had enjoyed the walk with _his _Dragonborn. The woman was full of spirit, and though they were walking together, she tried to avoid him at any given chance. This disappointed him only slightly, but he knew that he was already making progress with her. Soon, he could pull all of the right strings on her, as if she was a puppet, and convince her to stay in the Hunting Grounds. This way, her soul would live for eternity, and she could belong to him forever.

Brynioth's sympathetic feelings towards Vidia grew, because there was no way she could ever win over his Lord's trust. She was trustworthy towards the friends she had in Tamriel, but she was untrustworthy here, because she had already expressed how she would escape at any given chance. So, she was already not to be trusted, by Brynioth as well. Brynioth also knew that the friendliness between Hircine and Vidia wouldn't last, and if it did, it wouldn't last for very long. Hircine was known for playing with his prey, after all, and Vidia was no exception. Brynioth very much pitied her, because of the interest that his Lord had for her. And no one escaped Hircine, no one. There were times when the Prey ran, and hid, but they were never hidden for very long. Vidia was extremely intelligent and cunning, but cunning would not help her in this case. It was only a matter of time before she would figure out that.. there was no escape, really. The only way she could ever enjoy her life now was to sit back and occasionally go hunting.

Hunting.. Brynioth could take her hunting, it would appease his Lord after all, if the two came back with a stag, or a boar. He would be especially proud of Vidia, because a hunting trip for her was way overdue. He knew that he should let the girl rest, though. She had a rough life already, she deserved the rest.

The only person in the entire palace who disliked Vidia was Denneth. Anytime she would come out of her room to do something, or anytime she was within view at all, he would glare fiercely at her. He absolutely despised the proud and "honorable" Dovahkiin. Though many here thought she was a breath of fresh air, he saw nothing but a waste of Hircine's time. In his mind, there was absolutely no way Hircine could sway her to him, even if his Lord was the most persuasive being in the entire universe of Mundus. She really needed to die, in his opinion. To him, there was no other option. But was there really a way to eliminate her?

He looked at Brynioth, on the opposite side of Hircine's throne, as always. And, as expected, Brynioth looked back at him, glaring intensely, but not as intense as Denneth. Brynioth was the taller of the two, but Denneth was the most dangerous. Both of these traits were dangerous for the other, both were advantages. Brynioth felt a lot of pride in the fact that he had the height advantage, though.

"Growing feelings for the fiery wench, are you now, Brynioth?" Denneth taunted. He did this at any opportunity given to him.

"I see you have grown feelings for Andria, hmm? Think about what you say before you say it, Denneth." Brynioth shot back. How dare he bring up Andria, the longtime lover of Denneth. Despite the anger at Brynioth's comment, he chuckled and ran his hand through his light hair anyways.

Both of the men wondered where the Lord of the Hunt was, for neither of them had seen him in a couple of hours. They didn't worry, however, because Hircine was known to make frequent unexpected disappearances.

And just like the unpredictable God that Hircine was, and as if he could read both of his Chamberlains' minds, he appeared in what seemed out of nowhere, and started taking the long way to his chambers. Sometimes, he just enjoyed walking around. It was something that he had genuinely enjoyed doing for many centuries now, for it was a common habit amongst mortals, and he accidentally picked up on these traits and habits sometimes. He thought, if anyone knew the mortal race out of the Daedra, it was him.

When he had finally arrived in his lush chambers, he lounged comfortably on his bed, summoning a hound so that he could try and enjoy the company of it. The ashen gray wolf pranced to his side, ready to do his bidding.

While Hircine was lounging comfortably on his mattress, he finally took off his mask, revealing features that few had ever seen. A strong jawline, black warpaint decorating the sides of his face, and the fiercest gray eyes. Any who had seen the depths would immediately drown in them, never to resurface again. The pools of silver had intimidated even the most stubborn and capable warriors on both the face of Nirn and the Planes of Oblivion.

Hair so dark that even a raven would grow green with envy for, reached his shoulder blades. A face many women would die for, and die, they did. Hircine could persuade and seduce even the most beautiful woman, or the most gullible man.

_A/N: I know it's an incredibly short chapter, but I was very busy this half of the week. I hope you will forgive me for any grammatical mistakes and errors, I did not have time to look through and edit it. Please leave me your thoughts and comments on this chapter. _


	6. Chapter 6

_But would you tear my castle down  
Stone by stone  
And let the wind run through my windows _  
_'Til there is nothing left but a battered rose_  
_-Castle Down, by Emilie Autumn_

_(xxx)_

"I'm starting to worry about Vidia, Vilkas." Farkas admitted, not caring to also admit that he had worried for a long time now.

"I'd be lying if I said I hadn't been either, brother. But Aela seems assured that she is safe, and that she is just distancing herself from us. I wouldn't worry until later if I were you, brother." Vilkas answered. It was true, Aela hadn't worried, for she too had struggled with distancing herself before.

"Speak for yourself. I'm going to go to her lodge. She's never ignored us for this long, ever, not even when there were still dragons here." Farkas told his brother.

"There's no need to be paranoid, Farkas. If she doesn't send a courier in a week, then we will go. For now, though, we'll wait. No reason we should go out of our way." Vilkas said. He did somewhat care about his Harbinger's well-being, but not enough to postpone everything he had planned for the day to go looking for her. She was the Dragonborn, was she not? She could hold her own in battle, he knew that, and if she couldn't, she didn't bring honor to the Companions.

There was a good reason to worry about her, because she hadn't sent a letter for over a month now. A _month_. In Farkas' mind, she was just ignoring them, but that was how his mind worked. He was a pessimist when it came to Vidia, and always wanted her to be safe. He didn't usually make frequent visits to Vidia, for he knew she desired solitude. That was the entire reason she moved out to the woods, right? If he journeyed to her home soon, would she be angry? Would it irritate her? When it came to her, it didn't matter, she could be angry or irritated, as long as she was alive and well. Besides, the rest of the Companions missed her dearly, and would do anything to see their beloved Harbinger soon. Athis was ready to brawl with Vidia, Torvar was ready to have a drinking contest, Aela was ready to hunt with her, and Farkas.. was ready to get her back. Gods, he missed her. He'd do anything to see her again..

Farkas ran a large hand through his dark hair, sighing heavily. He may have had very strong feelings for Vidia, but he was still a man, and his brother and him visited the tavern that night, enjoying the cold mead, and the beautiful women.

The Bannered Mare was crowded that night, there was several tavern wenches, the bard Mikael playing beautiful tunes on the lute, and many travelers and revelers. It was unusually crowded tonight, actually. It hadn't been this crowded in years. The twins wondered why it was so crowded, until they saw the probable source of the uproar. There was a wench dancing for the men, in the middle of the inn. It was a shame that women wasted their lives like this, but it was their decision, and neither Vilkas or Farkas would complain about "outgoing women". If they had a septim for every woman they had bedded, they probably would've been amongst the richest men in Whiterun.

Inside, Vilkas did miss the Harbinger as well, though he was adept at hiding it, as he always was. He missed the petty arguments between them, and the fights they had that seemed to last forever. If only times could once again be simpler, when she still lived in Whiterun. Now, Vilkas wasn't fond of the Harbinger, but he did love her like a sister. He was always worried about Farkas' feelings for her, however. Sometimes, it clouded his judgement as a warrior, and was a great distraction. It was a terrible thought, a terrible idea, but Vilkas kind of hoped she wouldn't come back, just so Farkas could get over her. Yes, the Dragonborn saved Nirn, and everyone in it, but outside of her heroic deeds, she had unknowingly caused many people strife.

_(xxx)_

What was Vidia to do now that she was alone once again? There was no novels within her wardrobe or under her bed that she could read. If Hircine expected her to beg for luxuries for her chambers, then he really did expect too much. Even if she was on better terms with him now, she had too much pride to ask for things. Some would think she was just stubborn, but she took pride in the fact that she was not a stubborn person. In fact, she was always patient and caring, but years of being feared and shunned by many residents of Tamriel forced her to have a somewhat cold exterior, but she always longed for companionship.

What was she to do if she was to reside within the Hunting Grounds? Did Hircine also expect her to join the Hunt with the other were-creatures? She'd rather perish by his hand than transform into something she vowed she'd forever try to get rid of. She just wished she had someone to talk to, to hold a long conversation with, like Aela, for example, or Lydia.. She pushed the thought of Lydia away from her mind, as she knew it would only cause her grief and sorrow, and she didn't need that right now. She needed her willpower now, so that she may be able to soon gain the Lord of the Hunt's trust, for the sooner she did, all the better. Because the sooner she'd get to see Mundus, the sooner she'd be happy.

Nonetheless, she kept her hands busy by folding all of her clothing that was misplaced or scattered across the floor, anything to keep busy. She just found it difficult to stay still these days. And, often times, she would keep herself busy by glancing out onto the treeline from her small window, and from some of the parchment, ink, and quills she had obtained by means of stealing from Denneth, she created notes and journal entries about her stay in the Hunting Grounds. She would explain how the seasons and temperatures changed rapidly, and how the Oblivion Realm was not at all how it was rumored to be. She mentioned in her notes how sometimes even the Lord of the Hunting Grounds could be gracious, and mentioned Tilithrin, the dense, enchanted forest that many Oblivion walkers would become lost in. Vidia believed that when, or if, she got out of the Hunting Grounds, she could publish some of her works and research.

Today, she planned on continuing her notes, hopefully without being disturbed. She grabbed a piece of parchment from under her bed, and a quill and ink. She then took a seat next to her open window, and started in elegant print:

_"It's been over a month now, since I arrived in the Oblivion Realm of the Hunting Grounds. As I have mentioned before, the seasons change rapidly here. The air is finally cooling down into a refreshing Autumn breeze, and the leaves are changing into wonderful, radiant colors. Rarely do I see the Lord of this Realm. The same cannot be said for his Chamberlain, Brynioth, but I have found that I enjoy his company. _

_On the contrary, I have been observing the residents of this realm. They do not act oddly or even remotely strange compared to the mortals of Tamriel. They have a certain aura that is chilling however, and I cannot say that they aren't snarky or arrogant, but at least there is reason for their arrogance, at least some of them can back it up." _

Before she could even realize it, her journal entries and research may cause suspicion in any Tamrielic readers, for they would undoubtedly want to know why she was in the Hunting Grounds. Luckily, she had already thought of a lie to back her up. Her excuse was that she simply angered Hircine to the point in which he trapped her in his realm, which was partly the truth, but not all of it. Too bad she'd live forever as an immortal, with the dragons. She guessed it was just fate being as unfair as always. She would have to live with all of the sins she had committed, the guilt that had built up over the years, and the fact that she killed her very best friend and Housecarl, Lydia, which was, in her opinion, the worst act she had ever committed, and she would never forgive herself or forget it. It was such a burden to her heart that she could be so evil as to kill an innocent woman. She even wondered if anyone had found the body of Lydia. Probably not, because nobody ever traveled through that part of the woods, for their was reports of werewolf sightings. She hated to admit it, but those sightings were probably reported by people who were unfortunate enough to see her transformation.

Viktor and his team of scumbags were the entire reason she was here right now. She should've been blaming fate, as any mature adult would do, but she did not want to. She wanted to blame him for all of the trouble she was in right now. She had merely gone out for a hunt that night, for she could not resist the Call of the Hunt. Vidia did not know why Viktor even dared to venture on her land anyways, since both her and Aela had warned him not to.

It was all very immature of her to blame others, when she should've been blaming herself and fate. Damn fate, she thought. The cool breeze caressed her pale face, leaving behind disheveled tendrils of hair. There was many places she'd rather be at the moment, but the Hunting Grounds had never been so beautiful to her than they were now. The sun was setting, and the sky was a deep shade of violet and tangerine. She had never seen the two colors combine anywhere else except for in this realm, but Gods, was the sky beautiful tonight. She pitied any and all vampires, for they could never relish the Sun like she could. Undoubtedly, the Sun was both the greatest, and most beautiful mystery in the realm of Aetherius.

Suddenly, a monotone voice rang through her head. It was Hircine's chilling, deep voice, but it held no emotion whatsoever. Often times, she could hear this, and it usually became faint after awhile. This only occurred in anyone with the Beast Blood, as a sort of "bond" between the bearer and Hircine. This is how many bearers of the Beast Blood could connect with, and carry out orders directly from Hircine. Most of the time, they were commands, sometimes they were inane buzzing in the language of Daedra, that could barely be heard.

_"Ayem setayam roht oht lyr. Meht ot ti roge shilkyn." _She had to strain her ears to hear the buzzing in Daedric language. The language of the Daedra was truly a mystery, and even though she was the Dragonborn, a highly intelligent woman on her own, she could never master the foreign language. In structure, it was similar to the language of the Dovah, but it was the complete opposite of the Cyrodiilic language.

Vidia was imagining hilariously impossible things now. Since she now had a direct connection with Hircine, couldn't she have one with the other Daedra? She imagined her and Sanguine having a drinking contest, and him winning. She also imagined meeting Clavicus Vile, and bargaining with him. Then, she remembered Clavicus Vile was Hircine's arch-enemy, and she would probably never be allowed to come into contact with him, ever.

Suddenly, the buzzing inside of her head ceased, and she thanked the Gods that it did. It became unbearable sometimes, because she could not stop him. It was true that one of the things that was hardest for her to get used to was the lack of freedom she was given here. She couldn't explore, because the forest Tilithrin was cursed. She also couldn't go hunting for bandits to kill, for there was seldom any in the Hunting Grounds. She wondered how mortals had gotten themselves in this Realm anyways.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a knock on the door. _Three knocks.. Brynioth._ She had observed the knockings of both of Hircine's Chamberlains, and had deciphered which knock belongs to which Chamberlain. If there were three knocks, it was Brynioth, one knock was usually Denneth. She hesitated to open her door, but reached to open it anyways. Sure enough, Brynioth was standing outside of her door. His tawny hair was standing in many places, but she knew that he usually kept it like this. Why? She hadn't an idea.

"Vidia. My Lord wishes to speak with you. He is waiting for you in the courtyard as we speak." Brynioth said.

"Very well, Brynioth. But I'd actually like you to go up there with me if you don't mind?" Vidia suggested.

"Of course, Vidia. How could I deny you the request?" Brynioth replied back.

_(xxx)_

"You summoned me?" Vidia asked when she became within speaking-distance.

"I did." The Daedric Prince replied in that chilling voice of his.

"And?" Vidia pressed, not wanting to anger him, but impatient nonetheless.

"I have somewhat of a problem. A small pack of my children have chosen to start a rebellion within this Realm. Knowing your skills on the battlefield, and your guile as a Hunter, I have chosen you to put an end to this rebellion." Hircine stated.

"Why are they rebelling?" She questioned.

"They are unhappy with their current positions within my Realm, as they were exiled for reasons I will not mention. They have found a way to enter my Realm without my blessing. All you must know is that they reside in the forest to the North. It will not take you long to travel there. You shall be back by morning, I can assure you." He told her. Since when did she start doing menial tasks for Hircine? She had actually planned on observing the sunset and the stars that would come shortly after, but now she had to travel through a forest to destroy a team of wayward werewolves.

"Is it through Tilithrin?" She asked.

"What, are you afraid to get your hands dirty, Dovahkiin?" Hircine asked amusingly.

"Answering questions with questions, are we now, Hircine?" Vidia commented. The Daedra smirked at Vidia from under his mask. How.. amusing, this mortal was. How he wished that she would one day submit, but he knew that.. perhaps, that wasn't what he wanted. If it wasn't for her unwavering pride, would she still be within his interests? She was a proud, arrogant, and strong woman, and part of him admired her for it. The other part of him, wanted to strangle her.

If only she knew what Molag Bal would be doing to her, right now, Hircine thought. He did find Vidia attractive, for a mortal, many of the people of his realm did. He did want to accompany Vidia on this somewhat of a mission, but what would that make him look like? Merciful?

"You may choose someone to accompany you, Vidia." Hircine said.

"Brynioth." Vidia quickly answered, much to the disappointment of Hircine. Why did she choose Brynioth?

"Very well." Hircine stated.

They stared at each other for an extended period, but then, Vidia immediately turned away from Hircine, marching toward the Main Hall of the palace. As expected, Brynioth was there, arguing about who-knows-what with Denneth. When they sensed her presence, both turned their heads toward her. Denneth, had a glare fixated on her, but Brynioth had that shine to his eyes that he usually had in her presence.

"I hear that you have chosen me to accompany you?" Brynioth announced.

"Indeed. Word travels fast here. Ready?" She replied.

"Lead the way.."

(_xxx_)

"Is there a way we can pass Tilithrin, to get to our destination?" Vidia questioned the man beside her.

"Alas, no. But there are ways that we may be able to increase our speed." Brynioth answered, much to the disappointment, and anger, of the woman beside him. No, she would not transform, never again, not after what happened.

"Forget it." She said, walking quickly away from him, making sure he was falling behind. Now, she was angry, because the only way she could trek the great forest was if she transformed into the very monster she swore she would never again turn into. She refused to do that, ever again, if she could help it.

They didn't speak for the rest of the journey, just walked in silence, until they met their destination. Crouching behind the trees to gain cover, Vidia eyed the rebellious werewolves conversing under the canopy of trees. It was strange at night here, because there was absolute darkness, minus the Full Moon that shined continuously. The ambience made by crickets really set the mood for everything.

The pack of werewolves couldn't even sense Vidia and Brynioth, they were oblivious to the fact that they were being watched, and that the hunters were now the prey. Vidia equipped her silver bow with silver arrows, for good measure. Some would say that she was cheating by using silver on werewolves. Drawing back her bow string, she shot at the beta of the pack, piercing his skull, leaving him on the ground instantly. Now, the pack was aware that someone was attacking them. Neither Vidia nor Brynioth gave away their positions, however. It was a dishonorable way to engage in combat, hidden in the shadows, but she was willing to take the chance anyways. They were turning heads, trying to sniff out the intruders.

But Brynioth and Vidia sniped the remaining members of the pack, leaving only the Alpha alive. These werewolves had fell by the hands of a stealth warrior, and now the Alpha was going to be felled too. Pulling the string on her bow back, she pierced the leader of the pack's skull with a gleaming, silver arrow. She smiled viciously at her victory, somewhat happy at the fact that a werewolf had died by her hands.

"Shall we be on our way now, Vidia?" Brynioth asked.

"Yeah." She answered simply, though she was not yet ready to be in the hell that she called a bedroom, but she also didn't want to wander the forest any longer than she had to. "How much longer before we can escape this forest?"

"Another half mile. After that, it will take about another half hour to trek the Plains." He replied.

She was relieved, to be out of that damned forest, even if it meant walking the dreaded golden plains. This part of the Hunting Grounds, looked like Cyrodiil, like somewhere in the West Weald. It was beautiful, yet nothing could replace Tamriel. Her home would always be more beautiful to her than this place, even if it wasn't literally as beautiful. She had been here for over a month, and she had observed every nook and cranny of the place. But she could not help but notice that it held an uncanny resemblance to Cyrodiil, even the forests. Perhaps it was meant to? The only thing that did not resemble anything in Tamriel was the sky. At night, a Blood Moon took the place of the Sun. The seasons were never as long, each season only lasting about a month or two, and the animals were much faster and stronger. The days were longer, and the nights were shorter, this was probably for the thrill of the hunt, she thought.

Vidia certainly didn't desire Hircine's favor, but she also didn't want to get on his bad side, especially because she knew that if his trust was given, she could return to Tamriel. This was the only motivation for her to do tasks for him. Gods, could Hircine get any crueler? She knew he wasn't usually recognized as the nicest Daedric Prince, but he wasn't supposed to be as possessive and merciless as he was now. He had her doing frivolous tasks that usually lowly members of his Realm would do!

When she finally saw the Palace Grounds, she felt nothing but pride for being able to take out an entire pack of werewolves, frivolous task or not. She hoped to at least get a reward out of this task, but she doubted she ever would. She was now under the mercy of Hircine, and she wouldn't ask for a reward, but that didn't mean she didn't expect one.

"I am impressed by your skills, Dragonborn. It is my hope that we can one day hunt together." Brynioth said before opening the doors to the palace for her.

"Sure, maybe sometime soon." She replied back. She liked Brynioth, but he was much too chivalrous for his own good. Especially since he was a werewolf of the Hunting Grounds, though perhaps he might have been a Knight or Baron of some sorts before becoming a creature of the night. That was a possibility.

Unlike what she expected, Hircine was not sitting on his throne, despite Denneth standing loyally beside it. She saw the way his predatory eyes looked her up to down, inspecting her, looking for any injuries, so that he could rub it in her face.

"Denneth! Where is Our Lord?" Brynioth none-too-politely asked.

"Ah, my friend, Brynioth! Hircine has retired to his quarters! Knowing my superior place in court, he would of course inform me of this before you. No offense, of course, old friend." Denneth said sarcastically. Vidia was actually amused by the inane bickering that commenced anytime the two were in each others' presence. They usually cut each other deep with words instead of blades, knowing that they weren't supposed to openly make violent attempts at each other.

"Ah, but if you were an experienced warrior as I am, you would've been chosen for this journey with the Dragonborn." Brynioth argued, striking a nerve within Denneth. Both knew that Denneth was the better warrior, but Brynioth was the strategist and ranger of the two, preferring the ways of stealth and guile.

"I would've gone with her, if it meant watching the poor wretch die. We all know you did not face the rebels in combat, yet you slew them all under the cover of trees! What cowardice!" Denneth gloated. Vidia, whom was amused in the beginning, began to get angry at the Chamberlain's words. She wasn't a coward, for the Divines' sake! She destroyed Alduin!

"Cowardice? Was it truly cowardice, or was it strategy, Denny?" Brynioth shot, knowing that the nickname 'Denny' would surely anger him.

Vidia slowly backed out of the Main Hall, instead stalking towards her room, choosing to ignore the heated argument between Denneth and Brynioth. Then, suddenly, she heard the clashing of metal, knowing that their heated argument had turned into a fight. She was about to Brynioth's aid, until she felt a hand on her shoulder. She didn't turn around, for she knew who it was.

"No. They will solve their disagreement, they always do. Let them act as the fools they are." Hircine stated. When he received no answer, he continued. "I should reward you for your efforts, Dragonborn. So, I shall, if you would follow me."

She didn't know why, but she actually wanted to follow him, eager for her reward. Hopefully it was an armor of some type, because the Gods knew she needed it. She was quite thankful when she saw that he was leading her to an Armory of sorts. Inside, there was what seemed like hundreds of cuirasses, greaves, boots, and helmets. Most were Light Armor sets, some were Heavy Armor. But one set in particular caught her eye. It was of ebony make, yet it was lighter than the average Ebony Armor.

Hircine saw how Vidia was enamored with the armor of ebony make. Since she had yet to earn his trust, he would not allow her to don the valuable and priceless Ebony Armor. He would allow her to don a set of Glass or Mithril, though.

"You have yet to earn my trust, Vidia. I can not allow you to take the Ebony Armor you desire. Perhaps in the future, when you have proven your loyalty." He said, causing an immense amount of disappointment within her. What did she have to do? Why did she have to keep jumping through hoops to gain his trust? But she would not beg for the Ebony Armor, because the noble Dragonborn would never be caught begging for anything, even her life..

"If you say so." She replied smugly. If he wanted to play that game, she would too.

"Choose a set on the left side, particularly a light armor set." Hircine advised.

She did choose a set on the left side, a brown leather armor. It was good quality, for leather, though. It consisted of leggings, a long-sleeved cuirass, boots, and greaves. Yet it came with no headpiece or helmet, which was somewhat of a disappointment, but could be used to her advantage. Helmets and headpieces could be a nuisance at times, and she found that they were a burden, and far too heavy, but they granted some extra protection.

"Thanks.." She said, and he noted that she was repulsed at the idea of thanking him, even if they were on neutral terms now. Very well, he would be patient when it came to this.

"I will return to the Main Hall now, before my Chamberlains kill each other." Hircine looked genuinely annoyed now, but not at Vidia. He must've heard the sparring between Denneth and Brynioth. Between Brynioth and Denneth, arguing was one thing, but fighting was an entirely different thing. The Daedric Lord absolutely despised it when his Chamberlains engaged in battle. Often times, they would aim to kill each other, but he knew that at the moment, they were settling a disagreement.

Vidia was curious as to why the two Chamberlains hated each other. They always looked at each other with pure hatred, their eyes turning into an icy glare when they met. Though she was curious, she was not curious enough to ask Brynioth, or Denneth. She had better things to do with her time. At the moment, she wanted to continue her writing. She had actually started to enjoy taking notes on the interesting, and unique Daedric Realm. Since she was almost never bothered, it added to the charade of paradise.

_A/N: I apologize that I could not publish this chapter sooner. I also apologize at the length of it, for I had planned to make it longer than it turned out. I promise that I'll write whenever I can, but I can't promise there will be a new chapter ever week. _


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